SERIOUSLY, is cannabis addictive or not?

[THClord]

Is chocolate mentally addictive?

[Jay Matix]

Again with the BS.
Can you cite any studies? Any clinical experiences?
I didn't think so.
Just because you don't want to stop smoking weed, and you get pissed off when you try NOT smoking it, doesn't mean you're 'addicted'.

there is no study on the "MENTAL" addiction of weed. Every person i know who smokes weed on a regular basis is in some way mentally addicted.. some more than others. I'll tell u right now I, LIKE MOST DAILY WEED SMOKERS AM EXTREMELY MENTALLY ADDICTED TO WEED (more to weed than anything else). Why else would people use the drug MORE AND MORE AND MORE... because they like the feeling that it brings.. they are "mentally addicted to the drug" now lying to yourself saying "EVERYTHING ABOUT WEED IS GOOD FOR U AND THERE IS NO MENTAL ADDICTION FROM WEED" is just denial.

[Purple Banana]

I wouldn't call it unreasonable to assume a weak link between the psychological and physiological "feedback" - which links in with the research that birdgirl pulled out of her hat. Very much about dependancy, chemical or otherwise, neurological or otherwise, physically induced or otherwise! (Something that the reward system is based around - i.e. system feedback).

Spot on, my friend. Like I had mentioned before, it's a very fundamental supply and reward system at a neurochemical level. I don't necessarily believe chocolate's psychologically pleasing attributes constitute an addiction or dependence close to that or cannabis, but the reward centers are set up in similar ways. Most people get tired of eating chocolate before they begin to develop a dependence on the slighter chemical activity that is much more pronounced in cannabis use.

[Mr. Clandestine]

Denial is spot about the strong psychological dependence in certain people. Marijuana can be abused, to the point where a person MUST have it before being able to carry on with daily activities. Otherwise the activities may seem dull, uneventful, and boring. Many people also use it to try and "escape" from the cruel realities they're surrounded with day after day. Stress or anxiety got you down? Get high and mellow out. Loved one pass away? Get high and take the edge off.

What's the difference between this person and you? Maybe you can handle these occurrences without the need to "mellow out". But other people can't, and would probably go mad (or worse) without something to calm them down. But just because you can tolerate your addiction a little better does not mean you can claim to be immune from it. The person who says they've been using it for 39 years, yet they're not in the least bit addicted, is the kind of person I'm referring to. No, it's not a physical addiction like those gained from chemicals like heroin, alcohol, and nicotine...but, it can be just as habit forming. And for anyone who's ever given up cigarettes, you know how hard just the habit alone can be to shake.

Here's a clip from just one of the 77,300 Google results under "Marijuana, psychological addiction":

"But the fact is, addiction experts today no longer distinguish between psychological and physical dependence. What matters is whether or not a drug causes uncontrollable, compulsive drug seeking and use, even in the face of negative health and social consequences. This "drug hunger" at the core of all addiction is much more difficult to control than physical symptoms, many of which can be medically managed."

Facts on Tap: prevention and intervention program for high school and college students

Don't get me wrong, I love this plant too, and am one of the biggest advocates you'll ever meet (well...read). I love it enough, in fact, that I'm willing to risk my freedom just to make sure there's plenty of it around when I want it. Luckily, the addiction to marijuana is much easier to beat than addictions to harder substances. Still though, that doesn't mean it's not there. And for those with a long history of chemical dependence, there's probably a good chance that the person will end up suffering from withdrawal-like symptoms when they decide to quit; insomnia, irritability, mood swings, etc. Regardless of how you look at it, marijuana is a DRUG...and should be treated with respect and understanding. Not blind faith and selective reasoning stemming from repeated use and inherent enjoyment of the drug.

[Dreadscale]

Hi All



People are creatures of habit, we live our lives, with habits.
Some are good, and some are bad. All things can be over done and may lead to obsession, compulsion, or addiction.

I don't think anyone would say the use of marijuana is without risks. In Washington to be able to use Medical Marijuana a licensed physician must recommend the use of it. They also sign a paper that states the good done from the use of Medical Marijuana, out weighs any risk involved in its use.

Since this is a Medical Marijuana Forum we have pretty much decided the benefit of this medication, outweighs the risk of the sideffects.


So Judge for yourself;
"IF IT CAUSES A PROBLEM, IT IS A PROBLEM" Father Martin:thumbsup:

I Hope this made some sense to you, and helped you answer the question for yourself. :hippy:

An edited 2 cents worth.:twocents:

[GraziLovesMary]

it's not notably physically addictive like many drugs.

however, like chocolate, or anything good, it can be so enjoyable that you want to relive the experience, hence "psychological addiction." you can be an addict to anything, and MJ is addicting in the same way that chocolate is.

This is pretty much what I was going to respond with. It carries no physical addiction.


But when it comes right down to it, anything can be addicting to the right person. It all boils down to a persons will power, and state of mind.

I smoke from the moment I wake up til whenever I go to bed, and I could quit tomorrow. But for the next few days I would be more irritable, as I have to deal with the stressors of modern life in a less-than-euphoric state of mind, to say the least. But it wouldnt affect my performance or personality to any notable degree. Some people rely on the self-medicating qualities a little more than others, but the bottom line is: addiction varies from person to person; it is relative, not definitive.

[207233]

my situation is really weird. I have smoked almost every day for about the past 5 months and thought it was great. but then when i stopped in about 2 weeks i got really bad panic attacks, depression, lack of appetite, insomnia, vivid dreams, fatigue---all of the symptoms of withdrawal. I thought, there is no way this can be withdrawal, pot isn't addictive. Well its been 24 days since the symptoms came on and the worst is over. I'm not anti-pot but all i'm saying is that something definitely happened, so i guess i'm part of the small majority that can get withdrawal. By the way i've never had any of those symptoms before i started smoking so it's not like the pot treated it and then it came back. I would like to think that weed isn't addictive but there is some legitimate research out there about withdrawal.

[Delta9 UK]

In all honesty after 14 years of smoking weed I know these things to be true. I have not smoked every day of that 14 years and at some points didn't smoke one bowl for months. I currently smoke between about 0.5g to 1g per day on average.

After this many years I know:

1. Tobacco is really addictive - Holy Crap quitting was harsh
2. Weed does have a psychological addiction "profile" - I can 'feel' when I'm slipping into it.
3. Any effects of dependance are GONE after about 3 days

So basically I'm saying that I can feel when I'm slipping into a dependancy 'profile' where I am increasing my smoke intake, my tolerance is going up and I'm spending more time "musing" about weed in general. Sometimes it just plain 'bugs' me at the back of my mind and I begin to think of weed - smoking it mostly

However, after a few days of quitting (a bit like a detox) everything is back to normal again.

I would guess (a BIG guess) that this would be Seratonin/Dopamine related ~ it is definately along those lines for me anyway.

Each to his own, but that's my take and I think 14 years is long term enough to know about my body and the way it reacts to cannabis.

[Halcy0n]

Marijuana is quite addicting for many people. Most stoners know this and if they don't they're in denial. Usually it's only the newbie smokers that claim weed isn't addictive at all.

Some people don't experience withdrawal symptoms because thc is fat soluble so it's eliminated from your body very slowly. But for skinny people with a high metabolism like me there's not a lot of room for it to be stored and it seems to go out of my system faster. I become very irritated when I quit smoking after smoking every day for a while. I also get headaches, insomnia, loss of appetite, loss of sex drive, and whatever else I'm forgetting right now. Sometimes these effects can be quite severe. I realize they're nothing in comparison with heroin or whatever, but they still effect me significantly. Not everyone may experience effects as significant as mine, and many people may experience no effects at all, but to say cannabis isn't addictive is just absurd.

There's been plenty of studies done about the withdrawal effects of cannabis, here's one of them: Marijuana Withdrawal Reported By Teens Seeking Treatment

Even though many people claim marijuana causes no physical addiction I have my doubts. I can eat crackers every day for a year and then quit without becoming an angry insomniac.

[jessem98]

lmao. yes it is, now surrender the remainder of your stash to me