Genes are one strong predictor of developing an addiction, said Dr. Alex Stalcup, medical director of the New Leaf Treatment Center in Lafayette, California. Millions of Americans can pick up, and put down, marijuana relatively easily. For some, marijuana use poses a substantial likelihood of developing an addiction.
A pathway to abuse
Socially, the prioritization of cannabis use can strain relationships, diminish academic or professional performance, and even result in legal and financial troubles, contributing to isolation and further substance use. In this guide, we unravel the complex impact of Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD), including signs and symptoms, how it’s treated, and tips to navigate dependency. If you answered “yes” to several of these questions, you may have cannabis use disorder. In the early 1990s, the average THC content in marijuana samples was less than 4%. In 2018, it was more than 15%.8 Marijuana concentrates also have a much higher level of THC. Between the two, addiction is a greater possibility with current marijuana use than it once was.
Marijuana Addiction Criteria
These groups create an environment for sharing challenges, building accountability, and accessing social support crucial for recovery. Even though the FDA has approved certain cannabis-derived products for specific conditions, this approval is limited, and there are broader concerns about cannabis misuse and addiction. While it is possible to try and use the substance without becoming addicted, that is not the case for everyone. There are risks of use, even medicinally, and addiction is one is marijuana addictive of them.
Your addiction does not have to define who you are.
Compared to healthy controls, adolescents who used cannabis had lower activation in the amygdala in an emotional arousal word task during fMRI (Heitzeg et al. 2015). However, in another fMRI study, adolescent cannabis users showed greater amygdala activation to angry faces compared to controls (Spechler et al. 2015). Together, these fMRI findings indicate that chronic cannabis use alters amygdala function. The effects of marijuana are euphoria, cognitive impairment, respiratory issues, and potential dependency. Short-term effects range from altered mood and perception to deficient coordination, while long-term use produces cognitive decline, addiction, and mental health concerns such as anxiety and psychosis.
- Forging a strong support network of people who respect your choices, including the decision not to use, is invaluable.
- We may be paid a fee for marketing or advertising by organizations that can assist with treating people with substance use disorders.
- Approximately 147 million people, or 2.5% of the global population, use cannabis each year, while 0.2% consume cocaine and another 0.2% use opiates, as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO).
- The drug is often consumed by smoking, vaporizing, or incorporating it into food and beverages.