Drugs are needed to treat cannabis addiction because standard therapies are not working, a United States drug expert says.
Heavy marijuana users wanting to stop are commonly directed towards cognitive behavioural therapy because no medication exists. These psycho-therapies aim to change addictive behaviour by addressing people's attitudes, thoughtsand beliefs.
But Dr Francis Vocci, from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, says only 35 per cent of addicts who use these therapies are successfully treated.
Speaking to the Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and Other Drugs Conference in Cairns, he said the poor results strengthened the case for medications to supplement treatment.
Research was under way in several countries to develop approved drugs to manage the withdrawal, help with abstinence and prevent relapse.
"We are in the early stages of developing medications for this disorder," said Dr Vocci, director of the institute's pharmacotherapies division.
Suggested approaches included medications that interact with the same receptors as THC, the ingredient in cannabis responsible for the "high".
Other possible treatments could work by regulating the appetite and suppressing the so-called "munchies".
Cannabis has been linked to a variety of problems, with research proving it can contribute to mental health disorders, respiratory disease and social problems. Those who start smoking at an early age and who use it heavily are most at risk.
Scientists discovered the canna-binoid receptors in the brain that respond to the drug more than 20 years ago. The breakthrough has led to several pharmacological treatments for related problems such as cigarette smoking and addiction to harder drugs, but not for cannabis itself.
