How Addictive Is Marijuana?

Though 33 states and the District of Columbia have now legalized marijuana for medical use, recreational use or both, that doesn’t mean the drug has no risks. While long-term marijuana use might not be as dangerous as drugs like heroin or methamphetamines, developing a marijuana addiction is not only possible, but can have lifelong harmful effects on a user’s brain and body.

Marijuana is one of the most widely used drugs today, due to its ready availability and the various options for using it. People often begin using cannabis without realizing how quickly they can develop a dependence. However, a marijuana misuse disorder is easier to manage than you might think.

Is Marijuana Addictive?

People abuse marijuana because it contains delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, also called THC, a psychoactive component that interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system to create a euphoric high. When a person smokes pot, THC passes from the lungs to the bloodstream to the brain.

Compared to other drugs, marijuana is slow to absorb, and sometimes takes as long as one hour before users feel the characteristic high. Marijuana activates specific receptors in the brain, leading to effects such as mood changes, impaired memory and decision-making and an altered sense of time and reality.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, up to 30 percent of people who use marijuana develop a dependence on it. Meanwhile, those who begin using the drug before age 18 are four to seven times  more likely to develop a marijuana use disorder.

From Tolerance to Dependence to Addiction

Regardless of the method people prefer to use marijuana, they may develop a tolerance to it over time, which means they will require higher and higher doses to experience the same effects. If they continue to smoke, vape or ingest pot, they can develop a marijuana dependence, which means their brain has become accustomed to regular doses of THC and has reduced its natural production of endocannabinoid neurotransmitters.

People who try to quit using pot after developing a dependence will experience withdrawal symptoms and crave the drug to feel “normal.” In cases like these, they will continue to use cannabis as an escape from reality, despite its negative effects on their life.

Marijuana Withdrawal Symptoms

Attempts to quit using marijuana may fail when users encounter uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms that include:

• Loss of appetite
• Mood swings and irritability
• Trouble sleeping
• Loss of focus
• Sweating and chills
• Depression and anxiety

These symptoms can range from mild to severe, and often vary from user to user. The longer you have been using marijuana, the more you can expect to struggle when you try to quit.

Getting Help for a Drug Dependence

If you have used marijuana regularly and often, gradually cutting back on your use may help you ease into a life without feeling as if you need to use pot to feel normal. However, if you are struggling to imagine your life without drugs, or if cannabis has become a gateway drug to more addictive substances like opioids, professional treatment can help you get back on the right track.

At Hope Academy, we believe a promising future lies ahead of you, no matter how long you have been using drugs. Contact us to learn more about our young adult-specific programs and rediscover the joy of living without drugs and alcohol.

Misconceptions about Marijuana

Marijuana is the single most widely abused illegal drug in the United States, and usage rates have been trending higher in recent years, particularly among young people. Studies show that marijuana is widely perceived to be a relatively low-risk drug, making many people unaware or ill-informed about the potential dangers it poses.

Recent research findings suggest that marijuana use, particularly during adolescence, increases the risk of developing mental illness or suffering a psychotic episode. Experts believe this may be partially due to the fact that new cultivation technologies yield marijuana plants with far stronger concentrations of psychoactive chemicals than ever before, posing greater degrees of risk to users.

Myths and Facts about Marijuana
Some common misconceptions about marijuana include:

• Marijuana has low addiction potential. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that as many as 30 percent of marijuana users develop a problematic relationship with the drug, with many of those users advancing to the addiction stage. Regular marijuana use can lead to psychological dependence, which carries an increased risk of the health problems associated with it.

• Marijuana is a "safe" drug. Marijuana is linked to a wide range of short-term and long-term psychological and physical risks. It impairs cognitive processes, problem-solving abilities and memory, and has adverse effects on mood regulation and brain development. This is why it is so risky for adolescents to use the drug. Physically, marijuana can cause breathing problems if smoked, along with increased heart rate, potential pregnancy complications, and other serious side effects.

• Marijuana use during youth does not have adverse long-term developmental effects. New research shows that marijuana's negative cognitive effects can have long-term or even permanent consequences, even with relatively light use and if the user stops ingesting the drug at a young age. The bottom line: marijuana is much riskier than it is often made out to be.

Get Help for Marijuana Abuse and Addiction 
The caring and empathetic professionals at Hope Academy Rehab specialize in the treatment of substance abuse issues affecting young people. If you or a loved one is struggling to control his or her marijuana use and you'd like to get help, we offer a full range of proven programs that generate lasting results. For further information about our programs and our California-based treatment facility, please reach out and contact us.