About 90 percent of the people who used drugs and their primary drug of choice wasn’t marijuana met the criteria for abuse, compared to 47 percent of primary marijuana users. So, a drug can cause dependence but not abuse, as is the case for some people prescribed opiate pain medication. Or a drug can cause no withdrawal at all, as in the case of cocaine, but still pose a high likelihood that a person will develop an addiction when using it. The drug’s pain-relieving properties make it a potential replacement for pain medication. In 2014, states that had legalized medical marijuana reported a 25 percent drop in deaths resulting from an overdose of pain medication.

Marijuana Addiction Treatment and Rehab Options

Cannabis dependence is much more common than dependence on other drugs due to the sheer number of people who use marijuana. The first step to overcoming marijuana addiction is to recognize that you have a problem and need help. Recognizing the signs of marijuana addiction can help you determine the severity of your problem. Today, marijuana is classified by the federal government as a Schedule I substance, https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/recommended-vitamins-for-recovering-alcoholics/ which means the drug presents a high risk for abuse and is deemed to have no medicinal uses. However, several states have legalized marijuana for adult recreational use, and 23 states as well as the District of Columbia allow use of medical marijuana to treat certain medical conditions.

• The NIDA reports that the higher potency of marijuana available today—specifically in regard to its THC levels—may be a factor in the rising number of people who develop a problem.
• Additionally, men are twice as likely as women to experience marijuana use disorder.
• Putting an exogenous form of nicotine in the developing brain, as in consuming tobacco, can dysregulate these fine tuning mechanisms during adolescence.

Addiction and Mental Health Resources

• Those who started using it before age 18 are 4 to 7 times more likely to than people who started later.
• The CDC states that you have a 10% risk of a cannabis use disorder if you use marijuana.
• Studies note that early marijuana use can interrupt normal development of gray matter, a type of brain tissue that helps control mental functions, increasing schizophrenia risks.
• On the other hand, there are studies that have issued warnings on marijuana and heart health as well as using marijuana for morning sickness.
• “In fact, a glass or two of wine a day is considered healthy… Now, you certainly might see some sort of withdrawal symptom if someone’s been drinking for a few years and they abruptly stop doing that.

At the time of publication, results showed just 44% approval for the measure. Both measures seeking to legalize and regulate medical marijuana have passed in Nebraska with support from over 70% of voters. Amendment 3 would have legalized recreational marijuana, allowing adults 21 and older to possess up to three ounces of marijuana and five grams of concentrated THC.

• The added strain plus tar and other chemicals in pot may raise your chance of having a heart attack or stroke.
• It can also keep your mind off of the drug cravings that you might be experiencing.
• Long-term use of marijuana has been proven to have addictive potential.
• One approach, call motivational interviewing, helps to turn ambivalence about quitting into energy to quit.
• The likelihood of developing an addiction increases exponentially when marijuana use begins before the age of 18 when the drug can have a profound effect on the individual’s still-developing brain.

Coping With Marijuana Abuse

Six decades later, after a successful campaign and societal acceptance of marijuana, the health dangers are now being recognized. During this time, it can be helpful marijuana addiction to have a plan that will help you stick to your recovery efforts. Look for ways to relieve your symptoms without turning to marijuana and consider reaching out to your healthcare provider for solutions that can help. Symptoms of withdrawal can be unpleasant and can derail your efforts to stop smoking weed. When the physical and psychological symptoms get bad enough, you might return to using the drug to find relief. Marijuana is typically smoked to produce a relaxed and euphoric effect, but some choose to eat the substance for a milder, more extended high.

That research found that an injected dose of the compounds produced a “roughly equal” reduction in pain markers in mice when compared to a smaller dose of morphine. Terpenes also appeared to enhance the efficacy of morphine in mice when the two drugs were given in combination. America has a cyclical love-hate relationship with drugs, and there are unanticipated consequences to society’s approach to any drug.

Researchers are investigating if higher potency is the reason for an increase in emergency department visits by people testing positive for marijuana. Studies suggest that THC is the substance that creates the potential for marijuana addiction because of its psychoactive properties. In addition, it has been found that marijuana dependence may affect your ability to respond to the neurotransmitter dopamine, which allows us to feel pleasure.