Printable Screening Tools

Validated clinical instruments for assessing cannabis use disorder — ready to print and use in session.

Using These Screening Tools

This page provides two validated screening instruments for cannabis use disorder, formatted as printable handouts for clinical use. Both tools are widely used in research and practice settings.

  • The DSM-5 Cannabis Use Disorder Screening Checklist is based on the eleven diagnostic criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. It is the standard for formal diagnosis and severity grading. Use this when you need a comprehensive clinical assessment aligned with diagnostic criteria.
  • The CUDIT-R (Cannabis Use Disorder Identification Test – Revised) is an 8-item self-report screening tool designed for rapid identification of hazardous cannabis use. It is well-suited for primary care, intake assessments, and situations where a brief quantitative measure is needed.

Both instruments can be administered as self-report measures or used as structured interview guides. They complement each other: the DSM-5 checklist provides diagnostic specificity, while the CUDIT-R offers a quick quantitative screen that can be repeated over time to track changes.

Print each handout individually using the print button above it. The handouts include client name and date fields for clinical record-keeping.

DSM-5 Cannabis Use Disorder Screening

A clinical screening tool based on DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD)

Instructions: Review each criterion with the client based on their experience over the past 12 months. Check each criterion that is met.

1. Cannabis is often taken in larger amounts or over a longer period than was intended.
2. There is a persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control cannabis use.
3. A great deal of time is spent in activities necessary to obtain cannabis, use cannabis, or recover from its effects.
4. Craving, or a strong desire or urge to use cannabis.
5. Recurrent cannabis use resulting in a failure to fulfill major role obligations at work, school, or home.
6. Continued cannabis use despite having persistent or recurrent social or interpersonal problems caused or exacerbated by the effects of cannabis.
7. Important social, occupational, or recreational activities are given up or reduced because of cannabis use.
8. Recurrent cannabis use in situations in which it is physically hazardous.
9. Cannabis use is continued despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problem that is likely to have been caused or exacerbated by cannabis.
10. Tolerance, as defined by either: (a) a need for markedly increased amounts of cannabis to achieve intoxication or desired effect, or (b) a markedly diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of cannabis.
11. Withdrawal, as manifested by either: (a) the characteristic cannabis withdrawal syndrome, or (b) cannabis (or a closely related substance) is taken to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms.

Scoring Guide

Criteria Met Severity Clinical Guidance
0–1 Does not meet diagnostic threshold CUD diagnosis not indicated. Monitor if client expresses concern about use patterns.
2–3 Mild Cannabis Use Disorder Brief intervention or motivational interviewing may be appropriate. Consider monitoring and psychoeducation.
4–5 Moderate Cannabis Use Disorder Structured treatment recommended. CBT, MET, or combined approaches have strong evidence at this level.
6+ Severe Cannabis Use Disorder Comprehensive treatment indicated. Consider intensive outpatient or structured program with evidence-based therapy.

Total criteria met: ______ / 11   ·   Severity: __________________

Source: https://cannabisdependence.org · Educational information only, not professional treatment advice. · SAMHSA: 1-800-662-4357

Cannabis Use Disorder is diagnosed when a patient meets two or more of eleven criteria within a 12-month period, with severity graded as mild (2–3 criteria), moderate (4–5), or severe (6 or more).

American Psychiatric Association, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-5), 2013

CUDIT-R: Cannabis Use Disorder Identification Test – Revised

An 8-item screening tool for identifying hazardous cannabis use

Instructions: Ask the client to respond to each question based on their cannabis use over the past 6 months. Circle the score for each response. Sum all scores for the total.

1. How often do you use cannabis?

0 – Never 1 – Monthly or less 2 – 2–4 times a month 3 – 2–3 times a week 4 – 4 or more times a week

2. How many hours were you "stoned" on a typical day when you had been using cannabis?

0 – Less than 1 1 – 1–2 2 – 3–4 3 – 5–6 4 – 7 or more

3. How often during the past 6 months did you find that you were not able to stop using cannabis once you had started?

0 – Never 1 – Less than monthly 2 – Monthly 3 – Weekly 4 – Daily or almost daily

4. How often during the past 6 months did you fail to do what was normally expected from you because of using cannabis?

0 – Never 1 – Less than monthly 2 – Monthly 3 – Weekly 4 – Daily or almost daily

5. How often during the past 6 months did you devote a great deal of your time to getting, using, or recovering from cannabis?

0 – Never 1 – Less than monthly 2 – Monthly 3 – Weekly 4 – Daily or almost daily

6. How often during the past 6 months did you have a problem with your memory or concentration after using cannabis?

0 – Never 1 – Less than monthly 2 – Monthly 3 – Weekly 4 – Daily or almost daily

7. How often during the past 6 months did you use cannabis in situations that could be physically hazardous, such as driving, operating machinery, or caring for children?

0 – Never 1 – Less than monthly 2 – Monthly 3 – Weekly 4 – Daily or almost daily

8. Have you ever thought about cutting down, or stopping, your use of cannabis?

0 – Never 2 – Yes, but not in the past 6 months 4 – Yes, during the past 6 months

Scoring

Each item is scored 0–4. Sum all eight items for a total score ranging from 0 to 32.

Total Score Interpretation
Below 8 Score does not suggest hazardous cannabis use at this time.
8 or above Score suggests hazardous cannabis use. Further clinical assessment for Cannabis Use Disorder is warranted.

Total score: ______ / 32

Source: https://cannabisdependence.org · Educational information only, not professional treatment advice. · SAMHSA: 1-800-662-4357

The CUDIT-R is an 8-item revision of the Cannabis Use Disorder Identification Test. A cut-off score of 8 provided sensitivity of 91% and specificity of 90% for identifying DSM-5 Cannabis Use Disorder.

Adamson et al., "An improved brief measure of cannabis misuse: The Cannabis Use Disorder Identification Test – Revised (CUDIT-R)," Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 2010