A Review of Marijuana Assessment Dilemmas: Time for Marijuana Specific Screening Methods?

ABSTRACT

This article explores how multiple cultural and clinical factors regarding marijuana complicate accurate clinical recognition, assessment and diagnosis of cannabis use disorders. These factors include: Widespread use of marijuana; culturally confusing messages about marijuana's acceptability or harmfulness; social policy debates over legalization and decriminalization; scientific debates about marijuana's risks or medical benefits; DSM-IV-TR assessment criterion shortcomings; and the inadequacy of current screening methods related to marijuana. These issues are described along with a potential remedy–the development of marijuana specific screening methods.

KEYWORDS:

• Marijuana
• assessment
• Marijuana Screening Inventory
• cannabis abuse
• substance abuse assessment
• drug abuse