Cannabis Use Disorder in Whole-Person Care: An Integrated Approach to Screening and Treatment - 2 AOA Category 1-A Credits

Provided by an AOA-accredited Category 1 CME sponsor, this activity is eligible for AOA Category 1-A credit and includes instructor interaction; questions submitted by email will receive a response within 48 hours. Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD) is increasingly encountered in clinical practice, and effective care requires more than symptom control or a one-size-fits-all referral. This course equips osteopathic physicians with a comprehensive, patient-centered framework for identifying and managing CUD in a way that reduces stigma, improves engagement, and addresses the root contributors that keep patients stuck. You will learn to integrate neurobiology, somatic function, and psychosocial context using osteopathic principles, including the Four Tenets of Osteopathic Medicine, to guide assessment and treatment planning. Participants will strengthen skills in early screening, risk recognition, and patient-centered communication, then apply evidence-informed, hands-on strategies to support recovery and improve function. The activity provides actionable approaches for building an integrated, interdisciplinary care plan, with attention to common drivers and comorbidities such as chronic pain, somatic dysfunction, and autonomic dysregulation. Many physicians understand addiction fundamentals but lack a repeatable approach for combining coaching techniques, practical interventions, and systems-based workflows in daily practice. This course closes that gap by delivering the clinical knowledge and communication tools needed to create whole-person care plans that support self-regulation, reduce relapse risk, and improve quality of life over time.

The clinical approach to Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD) is undergoing a critical shift, moving from a narrow, often stigmatizing, model to a comprehensive, patient-centered paradigm that addresses the root causes of the condition. Mastering this modern approach requires a nuanced understanding of the interplay between a patient's neurobiology, somatic function, and psychosocial context. This educational activity provides an in-depth exploration of the holistic framework for managing CUD, from applying the Four Tenets of Medicine to mastering patient-centered communication and hands-on treatment strategies. Furthermore, it details actionable approaches for building an integrated, interdisciplinary care plan, equipping physicians with the advanced skills needed to move beyond symptom management and significantly improve patient function and quality of life. For many physicians, a significant gap exists between a foundational understanding of addiction and the ability to integrate principles, patient-coaching techniques, and evidence-based interventions into daily care. This can lead to missed opportunities for early screening and an over-reliance on a purely pharmacological or behavioral approach, which may not address the underlying drivers of CUD, such as somatic dysfunction, chronic pain, or autonomic dysregulation. This course closes that practice gap by providing the in-depth clinical knowledge and communication skills required to expertly address the structural.