Introduction to Working with the Heavy Cannabis User
2 hours 
 
Cannabis is legal in a majority of states for medical use, and for recreational use in about half of states. Daily use of Cannabis leads to down regulation of the endocannabinoid system and a syndrome of tolerance, dependence, and withdrawal symptoms. These are most pronounced in the heavy daily user, taking 4-10 doses per day. This syndrome is common in heavy recreational users and in those who take multiple daily doses for medical use. Heavy users often present clinically with chief complaints related to side effects or withdrawal; this lecture will explain how to be able to recognize these side effects. This talk is based on a review of the charts of 40 heavy daily Cannabis users in a teaching clinic, supplemented with a review of the scientific literature.
 
This lecture was delivered for naturopathic doctors and students at the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, OR, in 2015.
 
Materials
The audio lecture
Lecture Slides
10 Intake forms, evaluations, and journal articles
 
This lecture is offered as Continuing Education by the NAIMH but has not been pre-approved for CE credits by any professional board.
 
Related Continuing Education Lecture
Medical Cannabis and the Therapeutic Order
 
Related Course
Working with the Heavy Cannabis User