Is Weed Addictive?

In severe cases, marijuana can lead to addiction, which is often called a “marijuana use disorder.” Research figures would suggest that approximately 30 per cent of regular cannabis users have some form of addiction or use disorder. This is particularly true of those who begin smoking weed before the age of eighteen. People in this age bracket are four to seven times more likely to develop an addiction than their adult counterparts.

One of the big characteristics of a marijuana use disorder is dependence. The biggest sign of dependence is feeling withdrawal symptoms when abstaining from cannabis use. For weed addicts who suddenly stop using, these symptoms come in the form of restlessness, cravings, irritability, decreased appetite and mood and sleep difficulties. These withdrawal side effects peak within the first week after stopping and can last for as long as two weeks.

From a scientific standpoint, marijuana addiction occurs when the user’s brain reacts to large quantities of the drug by reducing its own production of, and sensitivity to, natural endocannabinoid neurotransmitters. If a person cannot stop using cannabis despite it interfering with crucial aspects of their life, like work and family, they can be said to be an addict. A 2015 figure shows that 4 million United States citizens met the diagnostic criteria for a cannabis use disorder. Of this number, less than 5% (138,000) sought treatment for their weed use.

This figure is actually down from an older statistic provided by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which said that in 2010, 360,000 people were admitted to treatment for marijuana addiction. Of this number, 103,000 were between the ages of twelve and seventeen. Indeed, statistics on the number of youth who regularly use cannabis seem to be consistently on the rise.

The 2013 World Drug Report estimates that 1 in 15 high school seniors uses cannabis on a daily or near-daily basis. This can have drastic consequences on their quality of life and prospects for the future. The National Institute on Drug Abuse says that heavy abuse of Cannabis is associated with a host of problems or effects that include worsening mental and physical health, relationship problems, lower grades and reduced academic success, higher likelihood of dropping out of school and abandoning goals, increased absences from school or work, increased workers’ compensation claims, and less career success compared to peers.

In Canada, the CAMH (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health) offers treatment for addicted marijuana users and also provides links to the Ontario Drug & Alcohol Helpline on their website. The site contains information for parents with children addicted to the drug and guidelines for lower-risk use practices. While marijuana can indeed be habit-forming, it must be said that the side effects and dangers are not quite as severe as with harder opiate based drugs.