Quick answer
No FDA-approved medication exists for cannabis use disorder, so treatment is behavioral — and Philadelphia has 203 treatment programs within 30 miles, including 115 offering contingency management. The city recorded 1,069 unintentional overdose deaths in 2024. Here is how to find care.
Published: 2026-10-24 Updated: 2026-10-24
Marijuana Treatment in Philadelphia, PA
Most people who use marijuana never need treatment. Some can't stop on their own, and the hard part is realizing that trying harder is not the missing ingredient — a structured plan is. Cannabis use disorder is real, common, and treatable with therapy rather than medication, and Philadelphia has an unusually wide set of programs that offer exactly that.
Can you get medication for marijuana, the way people do for opioids?
No — and it helps to know that up front so you don't spend months looking for something that doesn't exist. NIDA states there are currently no FDA-approved medications for cannabis use disorder or for cannabis withdrawal. What does work is behavioral:
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) — mapping the moods, places, and routines that trigger use, and practicing different responses until they stick.
- Motivational enhancement therapy — a short, structured way of sorting out what stopping would actually give you, useful when you're on the fence.
- Contingency management (CM) — real, non-cash rewards for confirmed drug-free tests. Alongside CBT and motivational enhancement, it is one of the behavioral approaches with the strongest evidence for cannabis use disorder, and it only works where a program actually runs it.
Ask about CM by name when you call. Many programs list it only in their program descriptions.
Why Philadelphia, specifically
Philadelphia's overdose crisis is driven by fentanyl, and marijuana is rarely the drug that kills. But the same city programs treat the full range of substance use, and the scale is real: a FindTreatment.gov search within 30 miles of downtown Philadelphia (ZIP 19107), pulled in October 2026, returned 203 treatment programs — 115 reporting contingency management, 129 running intensive outpatient care, and 39 with residential beds.
The Philadelphia Department of Public Health counted 1,069 unintentional overdose deaths in 2024. In a supply this contaminated — xylazine turned up in 34% of those deaths — people who smoke or vape marijuana often also use other substances, and the safety basics (naloxone at home, free test strips from Substance Use Philly) are worth having regardless.
What treatment actually looks like week to week
- Outpatient counseling — one or two sessions a week, built around your schedule. The most common starting point.
- Intensive outpatient (IOP) — roughly nine or more hours a week of group and individual work, for when stopping on your own keeps failing.
- Residential — live-in programs for the weeks when home is the problem. Philadelphia has 39 within 30 miles.
Withdrawal from heavy use is uncomfortable — irritability, poor sleep, cravings — but not medically dangerous. If you also drink heavily or take benzodiazepines, do not stop those on your own; stopping them suddenly can cause seizures and needs medical supervision.
Paying for it
Pennsylvania expanded Medicaid, and Medical Assistance covers medically necessary substance use treatment, including outpatient and intensive outpatient marijuana treatment. Physical HealthChoices plans in Philadelphia include Geisinger Health Plan, Jefferson Health Plans EverWell, Keystone First, UPMC for You, and UnitedHealthcare Community Plan. Behavioral health for Medicaid members runs through Community Behavioral Health (CBH) at 888-545-2600; uninsured residents can call the Behavioral Health Special Initiative (BHSI) at 215-546-1200. The statewide PA Get Help Now line is 1-800-662-4357.
How to start today
- In a medical emergency, call 911. For a crisis, call or text 988, or Philadelphia's 24-hour Mental Health Delegates Line at 215-685-6440.
- Call or text (800) 653-9376 to talk with a treatment specialist about programs near you, or use this form:
Calling is free; the referral service is paid for by treatment providers, and we check your benefits before you commit.
- Search findtreatment.gov with a Philadelphia ZIP and filter for outpatient or intensive outpatient care.
Nobody decides to treat a cannabis use disorder casually. If you have read this far, you have already done the part most people postpone — finding out what the options actually are. Other Marijuana treatment in Pennsylvania: Marijuana treatment in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Marijuana treatment in Altoona, Pennsylvania, Marijuana treatment in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Marijuana treatment in Erie, Pennsylvania, Marijuana treatment in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Marijuana treatment in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Marijuana treatment in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Marijuana treatment in New Castle, Pennsylvania, Marijuana treatment in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Marijuana treatment in Reading, Pennsylvania, Marijuana treatment in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Marijuana treatment in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
Last updated: Sat Oct 24 2026 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
Frequently asked questions
Is marijuana addiction real, and can it be treated?
Yes and yes. SAMHSA's 2023 National Survey estimated 19.2 million people aged 12 or older had a past-year cannabis use disorder. There is no FDA-approved medication for it, but behavioral therapies — cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational enhancement, and contingency management — have the strongest evidence, and they are available in Philadelphia.
What is marijuana withdrawal like?
NIDA says withdrawal can follow a sharp drop in heavy, long-term use: irritability, anxiety, sleep trouble, low appetite, and stomach pain, peaking in the first week or so. It is not medically dangerous the way alcohol or benzodiazepine withdrawal can be, but it is a common reason people restart. A clinician can help you plan around it.
Can marijuana be laced with fentanyl in Philadelphia?
There is no evidence fentanyl is routinely mixed into marijuana itself, but Philadelphia's supply is contaminated in other ways: the health department found xylazine in 34% of 2024 overdose deaths, and counterfeit pills sold as one thing often contain another. Free fentanyl and xylazine test strips are available locally, and naloxone is worth keeping on hand.
How much does marijuana treatment cost in Philadelphia?
Pennsylvania Medicaid covers medically necessary substance use treatment, and Philadelphia's behavioral health plan for Medicaid members, Community Behavioral Health (CBH), can be reached at 888-545-2600. Uninsured residents can contact the Behavioral Health Special Initiative (BHSI) at 215-546-1200, and PA Get Help Now (1-800-662-4357) can route you to publicly funded options.
What should I do in a crisis?
For a medical emergency, call 911. For a mental health or substance use crisis, call or text 988. Philadelphia also runs a 24-hour Mental Health Delegates Line at 215-685-6440 that dispatches mobile teams.