Marijuana’s increased potency contributes to its addictive features. THC is the substance in marijuana plants that causes psychological and physical effects. Marijuana samples had a THC content of around 4% in the 1990s, but its content exceeded 15% in 2018, making it much stronger. As the substance becomes stronger, the likelihood of people becoming dependent on it increases.
Studies have shown, however, that chronic use of marijuana can be dangerous, leading to dependence, tolerance, and addiction. Long-term marijuana use can cause adverse effects both physical and psychological dependence, making it difficult to stop using, and even creating withdrawal symptoms in its users. The use of cannabis remains at historically high levels among young adults in the US in 2023, according to the latest survey reported in August 2024 by the University of Michigan. The researchers found that about 2.5 million teens were casual users. Casual users were up to 2.5 times more likely than non-users to have behavioral and mental health problems. Uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms can prevent people who are dependent on or addicted to cannabis from remaining abstinent.
Is medical cannabis addictive?
- That means you may need to use more of the drug to feel “normal,” or you may feel stressed out when you’re not using it.
- Behavior is one of the most obvious indicators of marijuana use disorder.
- It’s a lot like one your brain makes (anandamide) that sends messages between nerve cells throughout your body.
- I am hopeful about my future today regardless of many uncertainties.
- The five signs give adult recreational users the information needed to manage their use safely.
The drug is also smoked in what’s called a blunt—a cigar that’s been emptied of tobacco and refilled with a mixture of marijuana and tobacco. Marijuana smoke has a pungent and distinctive sweet-and-sour odor. Cannabis plant material can also be concentrated in a resin called hashish or a sticky black liquid called hash oil. Healthcare professionals may grade CUD as mild, moderate, or severe depending on how many of the above criteria a person meets. This may cause people to use the substance again to relieve their symptoms, which may lead to dependence.
- These can range from mild to severe depending on the person.
- It can mess with your brain chemistry and make it harder to cope with stress.
- The Health Canada website provides a clear definition of this disorder, highlighting that it is more than just a habit but a serious health issue that requires attention and treatment.
New research highlights the problems of withdrawal, but provides an incomplete picture
Again depending on the amount used and the amount of time used, the timeline will vary. Withdrawal symptoms can start as early as 24 hours since last use. Depending on your level of dependence, symptoms may not begin until 3 days out. There are multiple treatments available, like talk therapy, support groups, and even medication when necessary for underlying issues. When someone you love is abusing marijuana or addicted to it, there are often signs and symptoms to look for. Knowing what these are can help is marijuana addictive you approach your loved one in a caring way.
Is Marijuana Addictive? Can You Develop a Weed Addiction?
Short-term use of these substances may heighten dopamine activation, increasing feelings of happiness and pleasure. Cannabis use may alter brain processes, although researchers are continuing to investigate its exact effects. THC is primarily responsible for cannabis’s addictive properties. Certain factors, such as delivery method and THC content, may affect someone’s risk of CUD. However, court-mandated drug treatment may affect this rate, since people may have a choice of rehab with a CUD diagnosis or incarceration.
- Many people consider marijuana use to be relatively harmless, because they believe that it isn’t addictive, and because the drug can be beneficial when used for a medically prescribed purpose.
- Every person will have different outcomes from their treatment and recovery efforts will differ from one patient to the next, depending on their individual needs and preferences.
- Now leading experts at Harvard Medical School are here to help you separate fact from frightening fiction about medical cannabis so you can make informed decisions.
- When you are trying to stop smoking marijuana, it is essential to get rid of any marijuana-related paraphernalia in your home.
It makes the world more interesting to counteract the loss of pleasure in depression. For those with PTSD who experience nightmares, it shuts down the process by which dreams form in the brain. Studies of identical twins raised in different families support this theory.
Signs of Addiction
Volkow thinks that this decreased response to dopamine is likely caused by marijuana use. Another possibility is that marijuana users who become misusers have a dopamine system that’s naturally less responsive, making them more vulnerable to abusing the drug. Volkow also conducted a 2014 study that found that the brains of people who misuse marijuana have a decreased response to dopamine. There are also the studies that indicate legalizing marijuana can reduce the misuse of opioids, alcohol, and other substances. One study stated that medical marijuana can help children with seizures and chemotherapy-induced nausea.
- I did withdrawal and, at every point I could, I chose sobriety, even in pain.
- Having these risk factors doesn’t mean you definitely will develop a substance abuse problem, but you may be more at risk.
- It is problem-focused and goal-oriented, making it particularly effective for individuals seeking to overcome marijuana addiction.
- You can think of these receptors like bouncers at a club, monitoring what goes in and out of your cells.
The Road Ahead: Embracing Recovery and Hope
It often co-exists with other mental health conditions making recovery more complicated. Addressing these co-occurring disorders is key to effective treatment. You’ll feel off or experience withdrawal symptoms if you don’t use it. This post will expose the often ignored topic of marijuana addiction.
Need some extra support?
Marijuana addiction can be challenging both for the person experiencing the addiction and for those around them. Marijuana use disorder, addiction, and dependence are treatable. Long-term use can also cause mental illness symptoms such as paranoia and hallucinations and worsen schizophrenia symptoms.
