title: Assessment of cannabis craving using the Marijuana Craving Questionnaire.
abstract: Cannabis is the most widely used illicit drug in the United States, with 14.6 million current users. Cannabis-dependent individuals presenting for treatment typically report cannabis craving; however, the phenomenon has received little research attention. In the absence of a valid, multidimensional questionnaire to assess cannabis craving, we developed the Marijuana Craving Questionnaire (MCQ). The MCQ consists of four constructs or factors that characterize cannabis craving: compulsivity, emotionality, expectancy, and purposefulness. A separate score is calculated for each factor. The MCQ can be used to measure cue-elicited craving in a research setting or natural craving in cannabis-dependent individuals presenting for treatment. Either the 47-item or 12-item version can be used, and standardized instructions for completion of the MCQ should be given. The MCQ can be administered using a paper and pencil form or a computerized version. In a research setting, the MCQ should be administered immediately after cue presentation and repeated frequently to capture the full time course. In a treatment setting, the MCQ should be administered at intake and during and at the end of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Heishman
authors.forename: Edward G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Singleton
mesh_terms: D002188:Cannabis; D006801:Humans; D009042:Motivation; D012650:Self Disclosure; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires