A great deal of time is spent in activities necessary to obtain the substance, use the substance, or recover from its effects. Some people may find that being in a calm, non-stimulating environment helps their recovery. Doctors may also suggest counseling to help someone develop healthy coping skills and modify behaviors they wish to change. Stopping cannabis use gradually may help decrease discomfort from withdrawal and lower someone’s risk of relapse.
What Is Marijuana? Effects, Risks, Addiction, and Treatment
For example, if someone uses cannabis to relieve anxiety, a doctor may recommend anxiety medication, and taking this may make it easier to avoid the drug. A 2018 review suggests that cannabis may have less effect on dopamine than alcohol and opioids and highlights the need for further research. Similarly, another 2018 review suggests that cannabis does affect dopamine but to a lesser extent than other drugs.
Can I Get Addicted to Weed?
Approximately 147 million people, or 2.5% of the global population, use cannabis each year, while 0.2% consume cocaine and another 0.2% use opiates, as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO). Additionally, this is why people experience tolerance to THC over time and may experience withdrawal symptoms, like appetite changes, sleep disturbances, or mood shifts, when stopping cannabis use. While there’s been debate over whether the use of marijuana can cause physical addiction or physical dependence, it’s been known to be psychologically addictive. People who use marijuana frequently can experience psychological dependence and mental side effects that make it challenging to quit. While marijuana addiction is often considered less severe than addiction to substances like opioids or alcohol, it can still have significant negative impacts on an individual’s health, relationships, and quality of life. Regular or heavy use can lead to physical and psychological dependence, where the individual feels compelled to continue using the drug despite adverse effects on their life.
What are the Treatment Options for Marijuana Addiction?
Dependence is mainly physical and is a response to prolonged, regular cannabis use. THC interacts with brain receptors involved in pleasure, memory, and coordination, which can lead to the brain adapting to regular use. Over time, this can result in tolerance (needing more to achieve the same effects) and, for some, withdrawal symptoms like irritability, sleep issues, and decreased appetite when they stop using it. Medicinal marijuana is used to treat and manage a variety of medical concerns, including physical and mental health challenges.
However, we may occasionally use the term “marijuana” because it is widely recognized and used by patients. The term “marijuana” has a complicated history and ties to racism in the early 1900s, when it was used during cannabis prohibition to fuel xenophobia against Mexican immigrants. Substance use is continued despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problem that is likely to have been caused or exacerbated by the substance. Important social, occupational, or recreational activities are given up or reduced because of substance use.
- The DSM-5 outlines specific criteria for diagnosing CUD, requiring at least two of eleven criteria to be met within 12 months.
- Marijuana—also called weed, cannabis, and other names—is a species of plant that is used as a medical and recreational drug.
Marijuana, often considered a relatively benign substance, has sparked considerable debate regarding its potential for addiction. As societal attitudes toward marijuana evolve, particularly in the context of increasing legalization and medical use, questions about its addictive properties have become more prominent. This section delves into the ongoing debate about marijuana addiction, exploring arguments for and against its addictive potential, comparing it to other substance addictions, and examining how legalization impacts public perception and usage rates. If you struggle to reduce use, experience cravings, prioritize marijuana over responsibilities, or notice withdrawal symptoms without it, you may have developed a psychological dependence or cannabis use disorder.
More on Substance Abuse and Addiction
Amanda earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work from Purdue University, graduating Magna Cum Laude, which serves as a strong educational foundation for her contributions. Though this doesn’t happen to everyone who uses marijuana, one study estimated that people who use cannabis have about a 10% likelihood of becoming addicted.2 The risk is greater if people start using marijuana during adolescence and use marijuana heavily. Legalization can increase access to marijuana, potentially leading to higher usage rates. While it also reduces the stigma of seeking help, it may contribute to a perception that marijuana use is risk-free, which can increase the risk of addiction. Marijuana addiction intersects with the criminal justice system in complex ways, particularly in regions where marijuana remains illegal or is only partially legalized.
This results in severe withdrawal symptoms, including seizures and delirium tremens, which are life-threatening. Addiction is a recurring cycle that worsens over time and involves neuroplastic changes in the brain reward, stress, and executive function systems (Koob and Volkow 2016). Previous neuroimaging studies reveal the long-term effects of chronic cannabis use on several different brain systems including the reward, endocannabinoid, and stress systems as well as brain areas involved in emotion processing and decision making. The risks of using marijuana during pregnancy are preterm birth, low birth weight, fetal growth restriction, developmental delays, and an upraised probability of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission. Exposure to marijuana in the womb also affects brain development, producing cognitive and behavioral issues later in life. These complications underscore the hazard of prenatal marijuana use on maternal and fetal health.
“Part of the problem with prevention and deciding whether you should use a drug or not is that it’s hard to imagine, with one’s current brain, having a brain that isn’t making those evaluations rationally,” he said. But as Galloway explains, a person with an addition isn’t making decisions the same way as a person without an addiction would. “A part of the process for some people is to rationalize continued use despite having adverse consequences,” said Galloway. “The most common genetic legacy relating to addiction is inherited boredom,” explained Stalcup. What they have scientifically is a pleasure is marijuana addictive system that’s about 20 percent below normal. “The problem isn’t that they are releasing less dopamine, but that the dopamine stimulation in the brain is having a very attenuated effect,” Volkow said.
