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Marijuana Addiction – The Ultimate Guide

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Despite growing public support and policy changes around the sales and use of marijuana, marijuana addiction is a reality for many.

Large-scale, uninformed use of marijuana for medical purposes can inadvertently lead to dependency and addiction, similar to recreational use.

Currently, it’s classified as a Schedule 1 substance by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), meaning it has a high potential for abuse.

As yet, clinical evidence hasn’t shown that therapeutic benefits outweigh the health risks.

There are two prominent cannabinoids in marijuana: tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which has mind-altering properties, and cannabidiol (CBD), which doesn’t.

Growing social acceptance of marijuana and prevalent disinformation touting it as a cure-all demands that people understand the potential dangers of regular and continued use.

It’s also imperative for buyers to ensure that medical marijuana is labeled and produced within medical-grade standards. Not every plant is suitable for medical use, and the industry is, for the most part, unregulated.

This article explores the history, statistics, potential benefits, causes and signs of addiction, adverse effects, treatment, and how you can help an addict without enabling them.

History of marijuana use

Native to Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent, marijuana is a species of the cannabis genus.

Scientific evidence that it was used for its psychotic effects 2,500 years ago was discovered in an ancient cemetery along the Silk Road. Further proof of its use in textiles and rope as far back as 12,000 years ago was unearthed in Neolithic settlements in China and Japan.

It wasn’t until the 1800s, though, that medicinal marijuana came to the attention of the West when travelling physicians picked up on its properties and brought samples to Europe. However, it didn’t take long for governments to label it a banned substance and criminalize cultivation and possession, including in the USA during the 1920s and 1930s.

The strength and durability of the cannabis species, hemp, was recognized by Europeans pre-1800s. During the British colonial era, hemp cultivation and production were mandated in all colonies because it was the fiber of choice in maritime activities.

Hemp contains THC but in low concentrations. It’s high in CBD, which is the main component of medical marijuana.

Consequently, all species were grown widely throughout the USA between the 1600s and the 1930s, when all hemp and cannabis production was prohibited. After prohibition, medicinal and recreational marijuana went underground and was dominated by illegal drug producers and dealers.

In 2012 Washington became the first US state to legalize marijuana under state law. Many states have since followed suit; however, it’s still illegal under Federal Law.

What is marijuana?

Marijuana, as we know it today, is a psychoactive drug derived from the dried leaves and flowers of the cannabis sativa plant. It goes under many street names, including dope, weed, pot, herb, grass, Mary Jane, ganja and hashish, amongst others.

More potent forms include sinsemilla (from female plants only) and concentrated resins, such as hash oil, budder and shatter.

Indications are that the potency of marijuana is increasing. Confiscations during the 1990s had an average THC content of 4% and in 2018 it was 15%. Made into concentrates, the THC levels will be much higher.

Experts are concerned that the consequences of these rising potency levels are unknown. It could be worse than in the past, especially in those new to marijuana and young people whose brains are still developing. Elderly, medicinal use consumers are a concern too since they may have no previous exposure.

Recreational marijuana is smoked in hand-rolled cigarettes (joints), cigar wraps (blunts), vaped, water pipes (bongs), added to food (edibles), brewed as tea or used as an extract.

Medicinal marijuana can be smoked but mostly comes in concentrated oils, topical balms and creams, inhalants, and tinctures.

Benefits of medical marijuana

According to the FDA, a drug must have well-defined and measurable ingredients consistent from one unit to the next to be considered a legitimate medicine.

The cannabis plant contains hundreds of chemical compounds that differ from one plant to another. Each compound brings its own effects making the medicinal use of all cannabis products challenging to evaluate.

Research into the potential medical properties of marijuana isn’t new. Scientists have been trying to prove or disprove claims made by industry supporters for decades, and there have been some inroads.

THC has proven to have FDA approved medical benefits. Marijuana components, dronabinol and nabilone, can be prescribed for nausea in chemotherapy patients in tablet form. Both are suitable for patients with wasting syndrome caused by AIDS too.

A combination of THC and CBD  has been approved as a mouth spray in Canada, the UK and other European countries. It’s prescribed to treat spasticity and neuropathic pain that accompanies multiple sclerosis.

Dravet syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, severe forms of childhood epilepsy, have been found to benefit from a CBD-based liquid medicine.

The remaining challenge with developing drugs from botanicals such as marijuana is that the active chemical components of each plant (even within the same species) can vary substantially. This makes consistent doses for prescription challenging to produce.

Health professionals also voice concerns about the impact of long-term medicinal use in people with health or age-related vulnerabilities. At present, medical science knows very little about the effects in patients with cancer, AIDS, cardiovascular disease, multiple sclerosis, or other neurodegenerative diseases, for example. The elderly, too, are thought to be at risk of side effects and adverse outcomes.

Is marijuana a gateway drug?

Some clinical studies indicate that marijuana use precedes the use of, and addiction to, other substances. Science has also proven that developing brains are negatively impacted by regular exposure to marijuana. Some of the effects can be irreversible, which implies an increased vulnerability to other substances. THC’s ability to prime natural brain functions into adaptation is another factor for consideration.

However, statistics show that the majority of marijuana users don’t move on to hard drugs. Like alcohol and nicotine, marijuana exposes the brain to heightened responses, but that doesn’t imply people will move on to more potent and harmful substances.

Researchers are now carefully considering the influence of external factors to predict later addiction. The evidence is that individuals who are more susceptible to addiction will usually start with easily accessible and readily available substances, like marijuana. Then, as they move into social circles that regularly use alcohol, nicotine and marijuana, they’re introduced to harder drugs, increasing their chances of experimenting.

What is marijuana addiction?

Marijuana addiction, also known as marijuana use disorder, occurs in about 30% of users.

After alcohol and tobacco, marijuana is the most widely used addictive substance in the USA, with regular use tending to be more prevalent among men than women.

Dependency is more common than addiction. Withdrawal symptoms set in when not using, generally making the person use again to ease their distress.

Withdrawal symptoms include cravings, decreased appetite, insomnia, irritability, mood swings, random forms of physical discomfort and restlessness. These symptoms peak after a week and can last for up to 2-weeks.

Addiction happens when the brain adapts to high quantities of the drug by reducing the production of, and sensitivity to, its own endocannabinoid neurotransmitters. Once this happens, the person cannot stop using marijuana even though they might want to, and it impedes the quality of their daily life.

It’s possible to be dependent and not addicted. People who are addicted will eventually need some kind of medical treatment, whether it’s for addiction or a health condition. This makes estimates of addiction calculable from medical records. Dependency statistics, however, are much more difficult to ascertain.

How it works

When smoked, THC and other chemicals pass from the lungs to the bloodstream. From there, they’re rapidly carried throughout the body and into the brain. The effects are experienced almost immediately through feelings of euphoria and a sense of relaxation.

Some people also experience heightened sensory perception, altered perception of time, giggling and an increased appetite.

The effects are slower when marijuana is consumed in foods or beverages and may only kick in after 30 to 60-minutes as the drug passes through the digestive system. Less THC enters the bloodstream, which can cause people to use more.

Overuse can have the opposite effect, resulting in anxiety, distrust, fear, or panic instead of euphoria and relaxation. This is a real danger with high-potency strains, even with experienced users.

In extreme cases, acute psychosis can take hold, resulting in delusions, hallucinations and a loss of the sense of personal identity. Although temporary, these reactions can be very frightening and unsettling, particularly for people who use marijuana for medicinal purposes.

The effects of smoked marijuana last for about 1 to 3-hours after use, and if consumed, for many hours afterwards.

Traces of THC can be detectable in the body for days and even weeks after use.

Marijuana and the brain

The brain naturally has a chemical called anandamide that functions as a neurotransmitter sending chemical messages between neurons (nerve cells) throughout the nervous system. Anandamide is active in the brain areas that involve concentration, coordination, memory, movement, pleasure, thinking and sensory and time perception.

THC’s chemical structure is very similar to anandamide, which lets the brain recognize it and alter typical brain communication structures. As a result, THC attaches to molecules called cannabinoid receptors on neurons and activates them.

This disrupts mental and physical functions creating the “high” or adverse effects. Since the neural communication network plays a crucial role in the nervous system’s normal functioning, interference has profound consequences.

For example, marijuana impairs thinking and inhibits the ability to shift intentional focus, learn, and perform complicated tasks. It also affects brain areas that regulate balance, coordination, posture and reaction time, meaning that marijuana users shouldn’t drive and might have problems doing physical activities.

Via the cannabinoid receptors, THC activates the brain’s reward system, including responses to activities like eating and sex. Accordingly, neurons in the reward system are stimulated to release higher levels of the signaling chemical dopamine in response to naturally rewarding stimuli, teaching the brain to repeat rewarding behaviors.

This is what makes marijuana an addictive substance.

Research doesn’t yet know the full extent of the effects on the body and brain when exposed to high concentrations of THC, primarily in developing brains, including unborn babies. Making this a particular concern around high-potency products and the sale of unregistered medical products.

Key marijuana addiction statistics and adverse medical facts

Statistics –

  • 17% of people who start using in their teens will become dependent
  • Two-thirds of patients who visited an ER for marijuana-related complications in 2011 were male
  • 4 million people in the USA met the diagnostic criteria for marijuana addiction in 2015
  • 138,000 people in the USA voluntarily entered treatment for marijuana addiction in 2015
  • 44.7% of lifetime users progress to other drugs at some point

Research –

What causes marijuana addiction?

Everyone has an evolutionary genetic predisposition to addiction linked to feeding and sex to ensure our survival and the continuation of the species. Pleasure and satisfaction derived from both trigger our brains to keep seeking and wanting more.

Today, these basic survival instincts are still hardwired in each of us, making anyone susceptible to developing an addiction disorder. Accepting this makes it easier to be supportive if someone we love falls into marijuana addiction.

The prevalence and growing social acceptance of marijuana means that people don’t necessarily know the dangers and can accidently become addicts by using socially or medicinally.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), people start using marijuana for different reasons –

  • to feel good, feel pleasure, or get high or intoxicated
  • to relieve stress and anxiety or numb their problems
  • as a medicinal treatment for chronic conditions
  • to cure for morning sickness in early pregnancy
  • curiosity or peer pressure

Contributing factors include –

  • Mental health disorders
  • A family history of addiction
  • Children of addicts are at higher risk
  • Prenatal exposure to marijuana
  • Early childhood trauma or abuse
  • Peer pressure and stress in adolescence
  • Difficult socio-economic conditions and poverty
  • Poor coping skills and lack of a proper support system
  • Dysfunctional relationships and abuse at any stage in life
  • Social exposure to the drug
  • Loneliness and social isolation

Continued use of marijuana eventually reprograms vital neural pathways by over-stimulating the pleasure versus reward response. As the brain adapts, it stops producing natural chemicals necessary for healthy functioning, resulting in addiction.

Signs you have a marijuana addiction

If you’re a regular user, whether for recreation or health reasons and think you might be addicted, consider these signs –

  • Need to use more to get the same result, which implies tolerance
  • Using is negatively impacting your studies, job or relationships
  • Don’t meet your responsibilities to yourself or others
  • You’re aware of negative consequences but can’t stop using
  • Experience withdrawal symptoms when you cease using
  • Spend a lot of time thinking about using, and using
  • Use money intended for other things to buy marijuana
  • Your daily schedule revolves around marijuana
  • Can’t relax or enjoy yourself without using
  • Feel you’re unable to control your using
  • Turn to marijuana when adverse stuff happens, or you feel stressed
  • Ensure you always have a stash available “in case.”
  • Become defensive and lie about your using
  • Feel guilty or ashamed about your using
  • Need to convince yourself that you’re not addicted
  • Secretly try to cut down or stop, but can’t
  • Use in the morning to get through the day and at night to fall asleep
  • Your short-term memory is impaired
  • Struggle to pay attention and stay focused
  • Find it difficult to follow a program or learn something new
  • Your senses of balance, coordination and judgement are reduced
  • Experience a rapid heartbeat and palpitations
  • Insomnia and other sleep problems
  • Inclined to chest and lung infections
  • Constantly have bloodshot eyes
  • Or maybe you think someone close to you has an addiction. Look out for these signs –
    • Uncharacteristically irritable, restless and often hungry
    • Euphoria followed by moodiness and sleep
    • Have regular mood swings and can become depressed
    • Unexplained absences from home or staying off from school or work
    • Defensive about their using and whereabouts
    • Isolate themselves and keep doors locked
    • Losing interest in mixing with family and friends
    • Losing interest in activities and hobbies they previously enjoyed
    • Financial problems
    • Deteriorating hygiene and personal appearance
    • Bloodshot, puffy eyes

How to treat marijuana addiction

Marijuana addiction is very similar to other substance addictions, but long-term clinical outcomes are usually less severe. Depending on the severity of the addiction and other contributing factors, in or outpatient treatment will be recommended.

Generally, adults wanting treatment for marijuana addiction have been using it every day for more than 10-years and have attempted to quit at least 6-times. They often suffer from other psychiatric disorders and can be addicted to other substances.

It’s essential that treatment considers every aspect and addresses each condition separately. Studies indicate that properly treating each issue may lead to a sharp reduction in marijuana use or stop it entirely.

A visit to your local doctor should be enough to get you into the right treatment.

For any treatment to be effective, though, the addict must be willing. They don’t necessarily have to accept that they have a problem initially because people regularly change their mind after detox. Once they start feeling better and their minds are clear, it’s enough to make addicts realize they need help.

Persistent reservations are another obstacle to long-term recovery and increase the chances of relapse. An addict may willingly go into treatment but secretly harbor reservations. Thankfully, addiction therapists and treatment centers are well aware of the problem and work with addicts to identify and understand their reservations. Unaddressed, reservations are unlikely to go away on their own.

Treatment centers offer in and outpatient care and can refer inpatients to a halfway house on discharge. Inpatient care is 24-hours a day, and patients can’t leave the center for the duration of their stay. All medication, meals and treatment are included in the cost.

Patients undergo a complete medical examination, including blood analysis, to establish their health condition on admission. They’re immediately admitted to the medical center, where they undergo a managed detox to make withdrawal as comfortable and safe as possible.

Insomnia is a prominent feature of marijuana withdrawal, so medications to aid sleep and ease anxiety feature prominently. There’s currently no FDA approved medicine to treat marijuana withdrawal specifically, but there are drugs that can reduce other effects.

After the detoxification process, patients are integrated into the center to start their specific recovery plan. The standard is one-on-one therapy, group counselling, behavioral therapy, occupational therapy, medication and case management, all forming part of inpatient service.

Special requirements and access to other professionals, like a psychiatrist or dietician, are made available where required.

A rehab stay can be anywhere from 14-days to 3-months, depending on all addictions and progress. In some cases, addicts can opt to move to a halfway house on discharge.

Treatment centers manage outpatient treatment, and addicts must undergo a complete medical examination and blood analysis to establish their health condition. Detox is explained and happens at home. Medication to help them through the withdrawal process and a specially designed recovery plan is provided.

Outpatients have access to therapists and counsellors but must manage their own appointments. Checkups are standard to monitor their health and healing progress.

Regular drug tests are conducted by treatment centers and halfway houses on out and inpatients and residents. Anyone in treatment found to be using marijuana will be asked to leave.

Halfway houses

A halfway house isn’t necessary for every marijuana addict. Most people go home and continue therapy and counselling, and medical treatment as needed.

Halfway houses provide recovering addicts with a safe and secure environment from where they can reintegrate into mainstream society. Usually, they’re encouraged to find employment and all residents are expected to contribute to running the home.

Unemployed residents can be assigned garden or household chores, and everyone gets together in the evenings for meals and either fellowship or 12-step meetings. All halfway houses have an early 7-days a week curfew, and outings on weekends are strictly controlled.

Access to counselling, therapy and medical treatment is still available to residents as the aim is to keep them healthy and on the road to recovery. A halfway house stay can last for between 6-months to a year.

How to help someone with a marijuana addiction

Unfortunately, drugs make addicts deceitful and manipulative, so distinguish when you’re dealing with them when they’re high and when they’re sober. The long-lasting effect of marijuana can make this tricky, though.

When someone’s high or coming down, you’re dealing with the drug, not the person.

It’s tough to watch someone you love deteriorate and suffer, but don’t expect them to welcome your concerns. Confronting an addict in active addiction generally meets with outright denial or manipulation.

Unless the addict has approached you for help, you must be very specific when you broach their marijuana habit.  Never try to make inroads while they’re high or if their behavior is causing problems. Whatever situation is going down, deal with it first and address the addiction later.

Heavy marijuana use encourages delinquent behavior and often results in addicts dropping out of education or employment. This regularly causes frequent clashes within the home. If this is happening in your home, know that it’s typical under the circumstances, but it can be fixed with professional support and treatment.

Saying things like “why don’t you just stop” or “you do nothing for us” won’t help. Once neural programing has changed, addicts simply can’t stop using or motivate themselves even to care.

Recovery is unpredictable, so don’t have hard and fast expectations. You need to do upfront planning and accept that, for the addict, it requires an ongoing, sustained effort to succeed.

When they get professional help, one of the first things they’ll get is a detailed recovery plan explicitly created for them. Without that, recovery can have many unexpected pitfalls.

Know that supporting an addict through recovery is a long-term commitment that can get rough at times, but with professional help, you’ll both pull through. The recovery process spans way beyond detox and abstinence.

You must also understand just how fragile addicts are in the early stages of recovery. If you’ve won their trust, don’t reject them because it will probably trigger a relapse. Instead, when things get edgy, offer genuine support and call on outside help from a therapist or counsellor if you need to.

Codependency

Codependency can easily set in when we’re trying to help someone. Unfortunately, manipulative behavior takes time to go away, and in recovery, addicts often try to make others feel guilty and lay blame. Discuss issues calmly, but don’t tolerate any emotional abuse.

Avoid codependency by having very clear boundaries right from the start. Acknowledge your faults and past mistakes, and make honest amends. You don’t have to do more than offer a heartfelt apology where necessary and ensure that you don’t repeat the same mistake in future.

Over apologizing and trying to make up for your faults are the foundation of manipulation that can lead to codependency. The addict knows how to get to you, and your desire to help them may lead to overcompensation on your part and giving in to their demands.

Another reality is that you can’t force someone to heal and recover. If they have reservations and decide that they don’t have a marijuana addiction, there’s little you can do.

If a relapse happens during recovery, never accept personal responsibility, but don’t ignore it either. Try not to overact and tell the addict that they’re undoing all their hard work. Instead, get professional counselling as quickly as possible.

Keep the three Cs in the forefront of your mind always –

  • I didn’t cause it
  • I can’t control it
  • I can’t cure it

Tough love

Tough love isn’t humiliation, rejection and shaming – it’s about setting and keeping healthy boundaries.

At its core, tough love keeps the addict accountable for their behavior and ensures that they live up to their commitments and personal responsibilities.

Marijuana addicts are inclined to living off others which is an example of where tough love can be practiced. Make strict rules around money, for example.

There’s little value in having boundaries without consequences, though, and this is where you need to be strong. You can, say, agree how much financial support you’ll give until they find a job. Set reasonable timeframes, make them clear and get the addict to commit to them. That will prevent excuses later.

If they don’t get a job, cut off the flow of money. Undoubtedly there will be resistance, but push through so they can learn to take care of themselves. Negotiating these kinds of boundaries is very challenging, but if you don’t put them in place, you’re helping the addict further into self-destruction.

Intervention

Families and friends often think the best approach to helping an addict is to stage an intervention. While it can be successful, it’s a dangerous move.

Jumping someone or getting them to meet you under false pretenses is awful at the best of times. Doing that to a person who’s emotionally and mentally unstable makes it even worse.

If you do this, the likely hood of the addict bolting is very good, and trust will be damaged. An intervention has the potential to trigger an addict.

Many come into an intervention with high hopes and little understanding, so they feel personally offended when the addict isn’t interested. But that’s unreasonable and unfair. Sadly, disappointment often leads to anger and rejection, which only makes the situation worse.

Interventions must be managed by an impartial counsellor who understands addiction, and even then, keep your expectations low. If the addict has previously indicated that they want help, an intervention will be more successful than if they’re in denial.

Treatment centers

Marijuana addicts are admitted to the same treatment centers as drug and alcohol addicts.

All centers offer regular medical care, psychotherapy, behavioral therapy, occupational therapy and group therapy. They also have access to specialist mental health experts like psychiatrists and registered dieticians for patients who require specific eating plans.

On discharge from a program, patients are given a comprehensive recovery plan with access to outside service providers and support groups.

Individual treatment programs are specially designed for each patient’s requirements. Daily therapy sessions and general group activities in the evenings are standard. Centers work to keep patients occupied with healthy activities to encourage mental stimulation and teach necessary life skills.

Narcotics Anonymous (NA) holds over 67K meetings weekly in 139 countries. Attending meetings starts during treatment, and patients are actively encouraged to join local support groups after discharge.

NA offers online meetings to ensure member safety as well as face to face groups.

SAMHSA releases an annual directory of treatment facilities. Some offer free services for people who qualify, however, most charge. Several medical insurance plans provide coverage for the costs of treatment.

Helpful telephone numbers

In the case of an emergency or overdose, always call 911 immediately for help.

  • Narcotics Anonymous: 1-818-773-999
  • Nar-Anon: (310) 534-8188 (for the family of alcohol addicts)
  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 (24 hours a day, 365 days a year)
  • Poison Control Centre: 1-800-222-1222 (24 hours a day, 365 days a year)
  • SAMHSA: 1-800-662-4357/ 1-800-487-4889 (24 hours a day, 365 days a year info service)

Books worth reading

All books listed are available on amazon.com –

  • The Secret Addiction: Overcoming Your Marijuana Dependency – Tony DeRamus
  • Pot Head: My Life As A Marijuana Addict In The Age Of Legal Weed – Tim Paige
  • Overcoming Cannabis Dependence: The Truth About Addiction And The Secret To A Healthy Relationship With Cannabis  – Jack Woodhouse
  • Quitting Weed: The Complete Guide – Matthew Clarke
  • The Little Green Book (A Guide To Breaking Up With Marijuana) – Michael Stratton
  • Marijuana Mindfulness: Transcend The Addiction Cycle & Gain Ultimate Self-Control – Gabriel Santos

Conclusion

Despite its rise in social acceptability, marijuana comes with many health warnings and risk of addiction.

The fact that so many think it’s safe shouldn’t stop you from seeking help if you believe you’ve developed an addiction or if using is negatively impacting your life.

While treatment might not be as intense as for hard drugs, know that recovery isn’t a once-off event that leads to a life of sobriety. Instead, it’s a gradual, life-long process that requires dedication and maintenance to prevent relapse.

Always remember it takes a massive amount of courage to admit to being a marijuana addict, and you deserve the support that’s available to you when you reach out.

When you tell your family and friends you’re addicted to marijuana, some may laugh and say it’s impossible. That’s what the media and lobbyists have spread. You can be a marijuana addict, so irrespective of what others say, make your recovery all that matters in your life.

As you recover, you’ll gain more control over your life, think more clearly and once again discover the true joys of life with a sober mind.

Marijuana addicts can and do recover. Life in active addiction is like stumbling mindlessly through the thick fog; living in recovery is a life of clarity, insight and gratitude.

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