Questions on Marijuana Addiction/Dependence

Discussion in 'Science and Nature' started by pokpok, Jul 16, 2019.

  1. Hello,

    I've smoked weed for about 7 years and I'd like to learn more about it. The reason behind doing so is that I would like to educate myself and the people around me on the subject. I live in a state where weed is illegal and it is commonly demonized. From my reading/experiences so far, the demonization does not seem justified. I remember how evil it was portrayed to me when I was younger and that simply does not seem to be the case.

    While reading articles, studies, and watching informative videos (educational videos, debates, etc.) I notice that marijuana addiction/dependence is brought up quite often. I've seen addiction rates listed between 9% and 50%, which is quite a high variance. Both sides of the argument (those for rescheduling/legalization and those against) will both state a certain level of addiction is associated with weed.

    I thought marijuana was not physically addictive. My definition of physically addictive would be that the substance in question creates a chemical dependence between itself and the user of the substance after a certain period of use (e.g. heroin). If the dependence is great enough, the user will go into withdrawal and potentially die if they do not receive the chemicals provided by the substance within a certain amount of time. I personally have stopped smoking for months at a time with no side effects or withdrawal symptoms. My personal experience is not an absolute truth though.

    Here are my three questions:

    - Do you think weed is physically addictive?

    - Have you experienced physical addiction/dependence to weed? or has anyone you know experienced this?

    - Do you have a go to resource or resources for an unbiased view on marijuana and it's effects? Specifically in regards to addiction and dependence, but please share any resource you think may be useful in learning more about the plant.


    NOTE: I am interested in physical addiction and dependence, not psychological. Psychological addiction can be associated with many benign things (soda, chocolate, TV, etc.).So, in my opinion, psychological addiction does not hold much weight when questioning the legality of something.

    I realize this site is heavily biased in favor of weed, but I hope that others share my goal in learning more about the plant to help educate others on the subject. I did a quick search on this site for similar posts, but did not find any. If such a post exists, please link it.

    Thanks to all for your time.
     
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  2. I know of friends that smokes non-stop and can't function without it. I personally will smoke it when I have it but if I don't it's not the end of the world. My peace on it would be everyone will react differently to how they consume. I think also looking at the addiction of a certain drug or substance should also be looked at the person's past. I know when I messed around with other stuff than bud I actually didn't have a drug problem I had life problems I masked with drugs. Thanks for letting me share my opinion! Also been smoking about 10 years on and off.

    Here's my first closet grow I'm hoping for lots of buds!!! 1562906347927.jpg

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  3. I would definitely say people can mentally think they are dependent on weed. However there is no physical addiction or side effects like hard drugs.
     
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  4. You wont get your answer unless you encompass all aspects of addiction..
    Simple Search of the forums reveals that everyone think its mental.
    Those of us that consume alot, that also have the self discipline to quit also know its mental..

    Any physicality hindrance is all mental


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  5. i find smoking weed i aint addicted ,can stop when i like i choose to carry on cuz i like too not that i crave it ,,but i'll say growing weed in very addictive no joking there ,,,mac.
     
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  6. I don't believe it is physically addictive.
    Even for mental addiction, I think it's more about being used to walking around high, just living in a high world. When you're sober it feels like something ain't right to the point that it kinda bothers you. Similar to a mild nicotine jonze, but a lot less.
     
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  7. Everbodies all about addictiveness these days.

    Ive been called an addict for almost everything you can imagine.

    Simply because of the amount of time i put into something.

    If i do something everyday it doesnt mean im addicted, it means i like it, if a day i do not do this certain activity, and i get moody or sick, thats being addicted.



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    • Agree Agree x 1
  8. Here is something I know a bit about how those people tried to study this subject off me, I was 18 and arrested for possession and the state wanted to set a example of this, yes I was caught with 3 joints, yes I had been smoking weed for almost 6 years by then, now it's been 25+ years. I was sentenced to 6 months in jail and had the option to do a 21 day study at my local hospital for weed addiction, at 19 days in they decided I needed more rehabilitation and stuck me in a recovery program for another 90 days minimum. This was where shit went south really fast for the state. Not one single doctor could see a sign of any kind of addiction or dependency due to my weed use. So after a total of 283 days in the place I was let out with no charges and told this was a joke. I went on to do 5 years of talking with troubled youth about addictions and such. Kept smoking the entire time, no issues, no kind of dependence to it. And to this day I will use on and off as I feel. So imo the dependency on weed would be psychological, one must understand that the compounds in weed will change how the brain releases chemicals to make one feel so called good. But this is short lived, not like other drugs where it bonds and changes the function of the brain receptors. I have seen mild dependence to weed in some people but that is a short lived story also as those truly believe they cannot function without it. So if ya ask me it's a person to person problem. Not one that can be studied as a whole. Personally I like to consume cannabis, doctors dont like it due to other medications I take for chronic pain but oh well. I stop when I feel I want to and may be a bit cranky for a day or two but nothing that shows a permanent pull to having to have it. Not like some meds I've been prescribed in the past. So can one be addicted to it, yes, can one be dependent, yes. This is all on that person and how they react to using and stopping weed.....
     
  9. Don't disregard psychological dependence as being trivial, it can be even tougher to overcome than physical dependence. Just look at cigarettes for an example.
     
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  10. Unlike most on this board, I am not a regular daily consumer because use causes tolerance build up that limits how strong, clear headed, and enjoyable a high is possible. Instead will smoke minor quantities a day or three and then take tolerance breaks for 3 to 5 days and sometimes longer. A tolerance build up starts to occur regardless of how much one consumes however the more THC the greater such is. That is why if one smokes say a gram joint that repeating such 5 hours later won't get one as high and one's body is generally in a minor haze of fog. Also the more consecutive days one smokes, the greater the build up. If one smokes all the time the tolerance level becomes static. Such smokers have reached the "mellow' state.

    If one has not smoked over many days and then smokes a modest amount one day, the following day may feel only a bit less than normal. However the more one has been consuming the more the following day after smoking will cause one to feel effects. Such effects do not include pain as with an alcohol hangover but rather is more like how one feels when waking up Monday morning after a long active weekend then not getting enough sleep Sunday night before having to go to work Monday morning only to discover one is out of coffee or any caffeine products. Thus will go into work feeling groggy, sluggish, not too motivated. After a few hours such may be more normal. The next morning still won't quite feel normal and by the third day usually feel near normal.

    Because they don't feel that great, some instead of laying off cannabis will instead continue to consume when they feel such on following days. Unlike nicotine addiction they can easily stop without any serious effects, however because of weak self control may not simply so they won't feel the minor lethargy. If one smokes regularly, there will be a deficit of neurotransmitters chemicals at one's neural synapses and a build up of metabolized THC products in one's bloodstream that take increasing amounts of tolerance break days to return one's body to a natural chemical balance. Thus the more one consumes, the more one gets out of balance. For those that cannot refrain from continuing to consume just to relieve those modest symptoms, they may develop a habit that is more mental than physical because of weak self control or attitude.
     
  11. Are you saying you intentionally don't smoke that often so that when you do smoke you enjoy it more?
     
  12. The difference can be found in habituation v addiction, I believe.
     
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  13. I consume all day for pain mood and sleep. I haven’t been sober in years. I know ppl who use more than me and less than me but I wouldn’t consider any of them addicted to cannabis.
     
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  14. It's been proven in multiple studies to have no physically addictive properties.
    There are no physical withdrawal symptoms at all.
    Psychologically though...
     
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  15. Indeed over decades have only smoked weed to make life more fun and tend to be very active when high, on my feet. If it was not for tolerance build up would smoke more often. The fresh clear strong high to me is more fun by far after at least a few day's of tolerance break and lasts longer. I love the increased intensity of senses. That is not to say I cannot get reasonably modestly high smoking day after day but rather outside the high "buzz" the increased sensual awareness is weak if one smokes often.
     
  16. There will be a difference between habituation and addiction. If you have anything in control then it's fine.
     
  17. This.

    The feds have been desperately looking for physical addiction properties in cannabis for a very long time, in order to justify the truly absurd DEA restriction schedule for it. They've had no luck so far.

    Wherever you saw "addiction" rates listed for cannabis, find a more reliable source for info because that one is clearly ignorant and agenda-driven.
     
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  18. I can have a habit of licking lint off of the carpet and eating dust bunnies from under the beds - going crazy until more lint falls and more dust ends up under the bed.

    Sure the heck doesn’t mean that lint and dust are addictive substances.

    Ask an addict that has had a physical dependence about this or if you’ve ever had one yourself, an actual substance dependence where your body gets crazy sick without it -

    CANNABIS IS NOT ADDICTIVE.

    j
     
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  19. It depends on why you use marijuana imo.. if it's for fun then I think you'd be okay it'd suck for a few days but you'd be fine but if you smoke/eat edibles for pain relief/health reasons like me you'd be fucked :laughing: I'd probably be in a&e/hospital alot if I didn't:confused_2:

    I don't see weed as addictive unless you need it for health problems ect
     
  20. Sure - but Nicotine is physically addictive. Not to the point of “Other Drugs”, but yes, physically.

    “anxiety, depression, weight gain, headaches, problems concentrating, drowsiness or trouble sleeping, and feeling tense, restless, or frustrated.”

    I don’t believe there has been any chemicals found in cannabis that are physically addictive.

    J
     
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