Hooked on Weed: Is Marijuana Addictive?

If you talk to many people, they will say that it’s “proven” that marijuana is not addictive.  On the other hand, rehab centers offer treatment for marijuana addiction.  More and more people volunteer for marijuana addiction treatment.  Then again, many people who smoke pot also function well, holding down jobs and taking care of responsibilities.  Plenty of people smoke pot for years and then give it up when they decide that they should stop getting high (often when they are settling down and starting a family).

So, is marijuana addictive or not?  That is actually a very tough question to answer.  It depends on who you ask.  Most smokers will say that it isn’t.  But, if you think about it, we all know people who stay stoned all day, and can’t hold down a job or do much of anything.  So, marijuana might not have all of the properties of an addictive substance, but there are some people who have problems with it.

The case for addiction

There have been some interesting studies that show that marijuana is actually mildly addictive.  This means that most people can use without getting hooked.  But for a small percentage of people, marijuana’s chemicals are addictive, and the habit can take over their lives.  Some people say that when they try to quit using, they suffer withdrawal symptoms ranging from extreme craving to agitation and anxiety.  Some people have physical symptoms like nausea, loss or gain of appetite, or sleeplessness.  So some marijuana users do develop substance abuse problems.

But aside from that, the fact that cannabis is a mild psychoactive drug might make it addictive in a wider sense.  Therapists have expanded the definition of addiction to cover many non-chemical topics.  People claim to be addicted to things like shopping, gambling, food, or sex.  So maybe many people can develop addictive behaviors because they have compulsive tendencies, and not because their substance of choice is addictive.

In these cases, cannabis might be used to self-medicate.  This would mean that marijuana use is being used to mask psychological problems that are not being resolved.  In cases like that, users could show the same behavior as addicts, whether they have a chemical dependency or not. If a person who has an anxiety or compulsive disorder uses marijuana to control anxiety, for example, then this could become a problem.  This would lead to a constant need to get high and an inability to function without marijuana.  That person’s ability to lead a normal life would be impaired, because they would get high instead of dealing with psychological issues.

For these people, marijuana’s reputation as a harmless drug could be an excuse to avoid getting treatment.  They might also not believe that marijuana rehab is an available option.  But substance abuse treatments do include treatment for marijuana addiction.  The point is that anyone who is spending all of their time using instead of doing what they need or want to do with their lives should seek treatment.

But most people who smoke marijuana don’t become addicted.  Why not?

Most people who use marijuana run only a small risk of becoming dependent.  If weed were a strongly addictive drug, then there would be a lot more people who couldn’t function than there are now!  Just like most people can drink alcohol without becoming alcoholics, most people can use marijuana without becoming addicted.  Actually, alcohol seems to cause problems for more people than marijuana does.  Both harder drugs like heroin, and softer drugs, like nicotine or alcohol are more addictive than marijuana.  But there are also some unlucky people who can get hooked on weed.  So, anyone who uses pot should be reasonably careful to make sure that it does not become a habit that interferes with other important things in life.

Whether using marijuana for medical or recreational purposes, you should take basic precautions.  If getting high suddenly becomes more important that going to work or spending time on things that you normally love to do, obviously that indicates a problem.  But for most people the risks are low.  There are dangers and risks involved in using marijuana.  But, on the whole, it is a pretty safe drug.