The Prevalence of Cannabis Use Disorder in Individuals with Anxiety or Related Disorders: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVE: The current study aimed to systematically review the prevalence of comorbid Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD) in individuals with Anxiety and Related Disorders (ARDs).

METHOD: , and were searched electronically to identify studies comprised of participants 18+ years, diagnosed with a current ARD via clinician interview and experiencing comorbid CUD (interview or validated screener). Of the 1646 articles identified, 11 were included.

RESULTS: Across general population samples ( = 7), approximately 1 in 30 to 1 in 5 individuals with an ARD had comorbid CUD (lifetime prevalence: 3.3%-21.6%; current prevalence: 4.3%-20.0%). Among veteran samples with PTSD ( = 4), comorbid CUD was reported in approximately 1 in 25 to 1 in 3 individuals for current prevalence (4.1%-34.0%), and about 1 in 9 for lifetime prevalence (11.3%-12.5%).

CONCLUSION: Preliminary evidence suggests that individuals with ARDs may be susceptible to developing comorbid CUD. Current comorbidity rates may be higher among veterans with PTSD compared to adults in general population samples; however, due to the limited number of eligible studies and methodological heterogeneity, further research is needed to confirm this difference. Given the recent global increase in cannabis legalization, understanding ARD-CUD comorbidity in high-risk populations is essential to inform treatment and improve outcomes.