This increase was most notable in the United States, where annual marijuana use increased from 9.9% in 2007 to 15.3% in 2017. Over 24 million people in the United States age 18 and over were estimated to be marijuana users in 2017, with more than 40% of this number reported as being daily or near-daily users. Long-term marijuana addiction cannabis users’ IQs declined by 5.5 points on average from childhood, and there were deficits in learning and processing speed compared to people that did not use cannabis. The more frequently an individual used cannabis, the greater the resulting cognitive impairment, suggesting a potential causative link.

• People use the drug because THC, a chemical compound produced from it, creates feelings of euphoria, among others.
• The first step is to rid your body of the effects of marijuana through detoxification.
• Because marijuana produces a psychological dependence, more than a physical one, treatment typically includes behavioral therapy – particularly cognitive behavioral therapy – and support groups.
• Marijuana has historically been classified as a Schedule 1 drug — those with no medical use and a high potential for abuse.

How cannabis can affect your health

• Research has also found that developing a strong sense of self-efficacy, or a belief that a person can resist using cannabis, is an important predictor of long-term abstinence.
• However, recent trends toward greater societal acceptance of marijuana use and increased availability of both recreational and medical forms of the drug may increase the addiction rate in older adults.
• Schizophrenia also affects the way you understand what’s real, but it includes other symptoms like trouble with speech and not being able to focus and show emotions.
• Many symptoms of marijuana withdrawal are similar to other drugs, particularly tobacco, and are considered mild compared to drugs like alcohol, heroin, and methamphetamine.

This program is ideal for educating patients and their families, school faculty and staff, behavioral and mental health professionals, and more. Regardless of how THC is ingested, the substance acts specifically on the brain cell’s cannabinoid receptors. Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States, typically smoked as a hand-rolled cigarette (joint) or in a pipe or water pipe (bong).

It May Harm Your Heart

But cannabis may have harmful long- and short-term effects, such as paranoia and memory loss, and it can be addictive and disrupt a user’s life and relationships. Drug abuse and addiction can be scary and uncertain, but it’s treatable, and there’s help out there. There are a variety of treatments available, and if one doesn’t work, another one may be better for you.

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Medical marijuana may contain THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), the mind-altering ingredient that makes the user feel “high,” but medicinal users typically look for products low in THC and high in CBD. Unlike THC, CBD isn’t psychoactive, which means it lacks the intoxication factor. Users looking just for the high or euphoric feeling generally stick with products high in THC. While legalized in fewer states, recreational marijuana use was legal in 11 states and the District of Columbia as of 2019.

• Cannabis has proven beneficial for a range of conditions such as childhood seizure disorders, nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite in people with HIV/AIDs.
• In addition, contaminants in concentrate products may be cause for concern.
• People who use marijuana at least once a week, called chronic users, might need more anesthesia than others.
• The Summit Wellness Group is located in Georgia and all of your calls will be directed to one of our local staff members.
• Treatment works best when conditions that may be linked to marijuana use are discovered early.
• Motivational incentives are part of CM, since it uses operant conditioning on positive behaviors you want to increase.

Marijuana Addiction Facts: Is Marijuana Addictive?

Nearly 1 in 3 12th graders reported using it in the previous year, according to the 2023 Monitoring the Future Survey, an annual survey that measures drug and alcohol use among adolescent students nationwide. We’d love the opportunity to help you during this overwhelming and difficult process. The Summit Wellness Group is located in Georgia and all of your calls will be directed to one of our local staff members. Our sincere passion is helping people recover so that they can live full, meaningful and healthy lives. If they use too much of it, they may experience some signs like lack of motivation, weight gain, impaired coordination, dizziness, anxiety, sleepiness or slowed reaction.

Tips for Reducing Addiction Risk

Today, Cannabis products sold in dispensaries have the average sample reporting 22% THC concentration. These fluctuations in THC levels can be risky, as they can result in greater effects than intended when ingested and create a false sense of tolerance for those who regularly use a predetermined amount. Adolescence, a period during which the brain is undergoing major changes, is an extremely poor time period for young people to try the effects of marijuana. Cannabis use in adolescence has been reported to increase the risk for schizophrenia. Synthetic cannabinoids, compounds manufactured to replicate individual chemicals found in cannabis, are much more potent than cannabis and therefore could be more dangerous.

Renewal Center for Ongoing Recovery

CBT helps people identify why they use, develop relapse prevention and coping skills, and come up with more effective behaviors. If you need more anesthesia to fall asleep because of your pot use, you’re at a higher risk of low blood pressure and a delayed wake-up after surgery. Your body could go into withdrawal, leaving you cranky, restless, unable to sleep, and uninterested in eating when you don’t use it. Categorizing marijuana as a Schedule 3 drug, he says, will allow for more research.

More on Substance Abuse and Addiction

• By Jaime R. Herndon, MS, MPHHerndon is a freelance health/medical writer with a graduate certificate in science writing from Johns Hopkins University.
• Using pot heavily, especially in your teen years, may leave more permanent effects.
• Some cannabinoids are psychoactive, meaning they act on the brain to modify mood or consciousness.
• Conversely, when you eat or drink it, the THC is slowly absorbed by the body, with the effects becoming noticeable up to an hour after ingestion.