So Is Cannabis Addictive or Not?

2009.05.03

When it comes to addiction, there doesn’t seem to be a standard consensus among professionals about addiction, whether it’s physical or mental. This originated with alcohol and tobacco, and whether it’s the nicotine or the alcohol that cause a dependence on the drug or chemical. The arguments, both pro and con say that the euphoria or the rush from either tobacco or alcohol is what makes the person feel that they are immune to the effects of everyday life, and that it isn’t the drug or chemical that is addictive, it is the thrill of escaping the everyday drone of life that can drag you down.

 Scientists do know that marijuana does create a psychological addiction among those who use it heavily, but also, studies have shown that the addiction can easily be eliminated, and can be eliminated quickly, as opposed to more serious addictions like tobacco or alcohol. It is true that heavy users of pot come to rely on the drug just to function normally, and do feel withdrawal symptoms if they don’t feed the need.

 What makes people addicted is the anxiolitic properties of the drug, which means that you become agitated and very anxious when you can’t have the drug. It is also true that weed or cannabis causes the heavy user to become more and more tolerant of it, thus creating a need to do more of it to get that “buzz”. However, this is what most professionals in the business call a psychological addiction, meaning that heavy users have to have the sensation they used to get with very little, but now they have to smoke up to ten times more than the novice user to get that same high.

  That is the case for psychological addiction. The case for physical addiction is far more uncertain, it states that  withdrawal from marijuana or cannabis is more painful, and therefore more physical in nature, saying that there are changes in the brain that make it difficult for the heavy cannabis user to go through detox. What happens in physical addiction is the neurological changes to the dopamine systems of the brain which result from very heavy hash use, but again, the argument for physical addiction is very unsure at this point, and still very open to interpretation.

            Where all experts do agree is that marijuana addiction is very real. Having said that, remember what Harry Truman once said: “An expert is someone who doesn’t want to learn anything new, because then they wouldn’t be an expert anymore”. Incidentally just because an individual owns a hash pipe,bongs,or bubble bags does not make them a pot addict.

            So, there seems to be one opinion across the board that marijuana or cannabis is addictive, but there seems to be great diversion among the psychological or physical addiction camps. Whatever the outcome between physical or psychological cannabis addictions, it would be wise to get yourself checked out by your Doctor if you feel in any way that you absolutely have to have another toke to make it through the day.