Marijuana Addiction: 5 Signs Someone Is Addicted to Weed

Another conundrum that impacts treatment for PTSD is the possibility that cannabis users have an increased susceptibility to memory distortions even when abstinent and drug free which can compromise reality monitoring. Riba et al. studied 16 heavy cannabis users (daily for last two years – average of 21 years) to 16 matched cannabis naïve controls.26 The cannabis users had to abstain from cannabis use for four weeks prior to the study. The study involved a memory paradigm including a study phase and a testing phase with the participant in an MRI scanner. They were given lists of four words to memorize and then shown a different list and they had to report if the words were on the previous list. Marijuana users were significantly more likely to have false recognition of the words and were less likely to reject that they had a false memory compared with the non-users. Individuals who are addicted to cannabis may experience symptoms of withdrawal when attempting to stop using the drug.

High risk groups

Notably, about two thirds of respondents answered that they believe cannabis has a positive effect on mental health—but two thirds also said they believe cannabis has a negative effect on mental health. Meanwhile methadone, a drug used in some medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder, often has side-effects such as “sleep difficulties, problems with sexual performance, and cardiovascular incidents,” it says. An article of faith with advocates of legal recreational marijuana has been that the drug is safer than tobacco or alcohol. This includes in the workplace, where the overall drug test positivity rate in 2022 was at its highest in 20 years, and on the highway, where many states that legalized recreational cannabis have seen a rise in fatal accidents involving THC. THC increases impairment in drivers—not as much as alcohol, but the combined effect of both is especially dangerous, far greater than either alone. Dylan sang, “Everybody must get stoned,” and the Beatles incorporated drug references in their music, while marijuana, once demonized as “reefer madness,” was touted as essentially harmless, safer than alcohol or tobacco.

Marijuana Addiction Criteria

• People are up to seven times as likely to experience marijuana use disorder when they start using before the age of 18.
• In light of the legalization of marijuana, many people have wondered about the substance, its safety, and whether it’s addictive.
• Cannabis use in adolescence has been reported to increase the risk for schizophrenia.
• The danger is even greater if you’re older or if you already have heart problems.

Despite the risks, studies of medicinal marijuana use have shown effectiveness. Nearly 90 percent of people who use medicinal marijuana claim that it helps them to manage their disease and symptoms, and many find that they are able to decrease their use of other medications. Most of these symptoms will wear off as the drug itself wears off, but for some, the psychological effects of marijuana can last many months or even years after the individual stops smoking pot. Insomnia can persist for many months, often pushing individuals to relapse and to return to marijuana.

Withdrawal

“I’ve always found quitting marijuana to be easy when I needed to because of travel reasons or personal reasons, or professional, or what have you,” he told Healthline. One marijuana user, Conrad, age 47, of San Francisco, said that when he can’t smoke, he drinks more. This classification is something that really grates people who support legalization of marijuana. According to a research by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the average THC content in confiscated marijuana samples in 1990 was just under 4 percent.

Marijuana Dependence

Marijuana comes from the Cannabis sativa or Cannabis indica plant. It’s often made from the dried leaves and flowers of the plant and even the seeds and stems. It contains a chemical called THC, which is a psychoactive chemical. They look at the immediate benefits and immediate costs to a marijuana addiction greater extent than they do at the long-term costs and benefits of using alcohol,” Galloway added. But as Galloway explains, a person with an addition isn’t making decisions the same way as a person without an addiction would.

In addition to seeking professional treatment, it is a good idea to have a support network of people who can help you through hard times and celebrate your successes with you. This support network can be made up of family and friends, fellow patients you meet in treatment, people you interact with at 12-step meetings, and even online support groups and forums. If you think you or someone you care about may have a problem with marijuana, contact one of our Admissions Navigators today for more information about finding treatment options for https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/5-ways-to-reduce-alcohol-cravings/ marijuana addiction. Our navigators can also help verify your insurance benefits or discuss other payment options and help you start your recovery journey. In 2020, about 14.2 million people aged 12 and older had a marijuana use disorder in the past year, which is about 5.1% of that population.1 That percentage has increased in recent years.

How to Get Help for Marijuana Addiction

For now, Florida will continue to arrest and prosecute thousands of people a year for marijuana possession. The Tampa Bay Times reports that prosecutors filed more than 16,000 charges against people for possession of small amounts of marijuana last year. MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all. The same month, research published in the Journal of Dental Research found that pure CBD could alleviate acute dental pain about as well as an opioid formula commonly used in dentistry.