Marijuana Addiction: Fact or Fiction?

a photograph of a marijuana leaf

Marijuana Addiction: Fact or Fiction?

‘Puff, puff, give’ is the mantra of many a pot-smoking circle, but it doesn’t really give you anything except lack of motivation, increased appetite and zap your drive. It’s the great debate: Is marijuana addiction fact or fiction? This debate is ongoing among addiction counselors and potheads, and in drug rehab centers and society, alike.

What Is the Truth About Marijuana Addiction?

Most of you probably started using marijuana around age 12. Some of you graduated to bigger and better drugs and some of you stopped using after your college years. For many of you, marijuana continues to be your longest relationship and you use it daily. Marijuana offers a unique euphoria, but what is the truth about marijuana addiction? The debate still continues but most professionals agree that while there is minimal evidence of physical addiction, there does seem to be evidence of psychological addiction.

A drug rehab provides you a safe environment (away from the opportunity to smoke weed) for you to regain your physical and mental health. Call us at 866-957-4960 today!

Marijuana comes from a hemp plant called Cannabis sativa. The main chemical found in this plant is what makes you high. The chemical that it produces is a sedative agent but also has the properties of hallucinogens. The physical state of being high may last up to 4 hours, but this depends on the frequency and quantity of use. As with any drug, the more your body becomes tolerant of the effects, the more you need to produce the same level of euphoria. Your body can build a tolerance to marijuana. There is no documented evidence of physical withdrawal symptoms from marijuana, but it does have a negative impact on your brain. You feel the psychological impact of not having it in your system. And there are many more negative draws to marijuana abuse.

Can Marijuana Addiction Really Be That Harmful?

Yes, marijuana is harmful to you. It changes both brain chemistry and there has been documented evidence that chronic use can alter hormones in the body.

  • Marijuana damages your lungs. Above the Influence.org posts that “Marijuana smoke contains 50 to 70 percent more carcinogenic hydrocarbons than tobacco smoke.”
  • Marijuana causes enlarged breasts in men (gynecomastia). The Mayo Clinic indicates that marijuana smoking can cause a depletion of testosterone and the development of breast tissue in men.

Psychological damage from marijuana abuse includes:

  • Loss of motivation
  • Lack of interest
  • Depressed mood
  • Anxiety
  • Lack of responsibility
  • Memory loss

Besides the damage to your body, the main problem with chronic marijuana use is the inability to stop. You become so dependent on marijuana temporarily relieving the symptoms that it is creating that the vicious cycle traps you.

Do I Need Drug Rehab for Marijuana?

The pattern of marijuana abuse is such that the psychological dependence on the drug may require that you enter drug rehab to help you break the behavior pattern. At Stepping Stone Center for Recovery, we offer you the 24-hour support that you need to eliminate drug use. Our addiction specialist will teach you how to manage cravings to use marijuana which will help decrease your chances of relapse. Tired of being dependent on marijuana to get through your day? Call us today at 866-957-4960 and find out how to get your motivation and goals back on track by eliminating marijuana dependence from your life.