The disorder has diagnostic criteria in the manual for mental health disorders. However, “roughly, it means cannabis use that becomes problematic and involves tolerance or other signs of dependence, like withdrawal,” said Dr. Joel Gelernter, a genetics and neuroscience professor at Yale University School of Medicine and a researcher with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (UDVA). To investigate genetic risks of the disorder, Gelernter and his colleagues analyzed data from the Million Veterans Program, which collects genetic and medical data from U.S. veterans, as well as other large datasets. Their analysis included the genomes of over 1 million people, with about 64,000 diagnosed with a cannabis use disorder. The study revealed key genetic variations associated with cannabis use disorder in different populations. This highlights the need for more diverse genomic research. The study, published in the journal Nature Genetics, also found links between cannabis use disorder and other disorders and behaviors, such as smoking cigarettes and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Additionally, the study identified a potential genetic link between cannabis use disorder and lung cancer, although further research is needed to fully understand this relationship.

Cannabis use disorder is a condition that is characterized by problematic cannabis use, which can lead to tolerance and dependence, as well as withdrawal symptoms ¹. Dr. Joel Gelernter, a genetics and neuroscience professor at Yale University School of Medicine, explains that the disorder has diagnostic criteria in the manual for mental health disorders ¹.

To investigate genetic risks of the disorder, Gelernter and his colleagues analyzed data from the Million Veterans Program, which collects genetic and medical data from U.S. veterans, as well as other large datasets. Their analysis included the genomes of over 1 million people, with about 64,000 diagnosed with a cannabis use disorder. The study revealed key genetic variations associated with cannabis use disorder in different populations ¹. This highlights the need for more diverse genomic research.

The study, published in the journal Nature Genetics, also found links between cannabis use disorder and other disorders and behaviors, such as smoking cigarettes and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) ¹. Additionally, the study identified a potential genetic link between cannabis use disorder and lung cancer, although further research is needed to fully understand this relationship ¹²³.

• Genetic risks behind ‘cannabis use disorder’ found in huge study

Learn more:

1. msn.com2. news-medical.net3. news-medical.net4. medicine.wustl.edu5. bbrfoundation.org6. en.wikipedia.org