[Cannabis use disorder and treatment of dependence]

Cannabis, known as marijuana, has been used illicit drug by young people in the world. In our country, the number of user for cannabis is recently increased gradually. It has been suggested that regular use of cannabis might induce several adverse effects such as dependence syndrome, because delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol(THC), a primary psychoactive component of cannabis, stimulates brain-reward areas through the activation of cannabinoid(CB1) receptor and induce drug-seeking behavior. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate and establish the medications for cannabis dependence. In fact, controlled laboratory studies and small open-label clinical studies have shown that several candidates of medications for cannabinoid dependence are identified. Further investigation in controlled clinical trials may produce the therapeutic benefit for treatment about cannabis-related problems.