SERIOUSLY, is cannabis addictive or not?

[Purple Banana]

This is another older recycled thread... Just interested now that we have more newer members- what are your thoughts and experiences on cannabis dependency, both physical and psychological?

[FourTwenty4Life]

I think it depends on the user. I know people who toke every day for years and are fine. I also know someone who uses MJ every day and is depressed, anti social, and lacks much motivation to do anything. Then you have people like me who switched from toking to vaporizing because of medical issues. I vaporize every day. Can I go without? Yes but I won't be the happiest camper and I'll be in pain. Many years ago I had a real cocaine addiction so I know the feeling. It took a LOT of strength to kick the habit after I nearly had an OD. These days I won't go anywhere near it and don't associate with anyone who does. I think it's really a case by case basis because many factors can dictate addictive behavior. :hippy:

[luciddreamer]

My thinking on this has changed pretty significantly since I have had my pharmacology and neuro-psychopathology classes this year and last in med school. I've also heard several really world-class level physicians address this subject, one of them our dean at Southwestern, who's a Nobel Laureate for his groundbreaking g-protein research, which relates quite closely to cannabinoid receptors.

According to what they're teaching today in allopathic (regular M.D. training programs as opposed to osteopathic) medical schools, the cannabinoid, opiate and even nicotine receptor systems are very very closely intertwined in matters of pain, reward, and addiction. Those various drugs/substances act initially through their own receptors, but they eventually trigger a generalized reward system in the brain that can also be triggered by other drugs. So even if, in concept, cannabis isn't physically addictive, it can, in the right brain chemistry--most likely a brain that is genetically susceptible to addiction in the first place--trigger an addictive response. That's not behavioral, either. It's those opiate-cannabinoid-nicotine receptors and their reward system/response working together and becoming systemically responsive to the other substances. I believe this is why some people really do develop a dependency on cannabis, which I've read hundreds of examples here about. There are always plenty of "No, no way"-sayers on this subject, but the people who experience this are very definitely in the grips of something more than psychological dependence. Any one with a propensity for addiction can get addicted to anything, whether it has withdrawal-type dependence or not. Food. Shopping. Gambling. Opiates. Weed. Alcohol. They're those folks who're destined to get hooked to something no matter what. This is why, for them specifically, they truly are addicted, often to multiple substances, and why, for folks who fall into this category, cannabis easily can be a gateway drug. Argue all you want, but for some people it is addictive and it does lead to other types of drugs because of that response linkage to the other receptors. In these people, there is also fairly marked physical withdrawal when they discontinue cannabis after heavy and repeated use, probably as a result of the withdrawal effects on the opiate receptors.

Here's some good info, and please don't dismiss it. These researchers are learning more and more every day about why this happens to some people and not to others. This is seminal and significant research about these receptors, including several very good links and excellent bibliographical sources.

The Why Files | 4. Recognizing drug receptors

I hope they're not gonna conclude that this proves the gateway theory as you suggested?
What this means (IF true!) is that weed could help rid you of addiction to alcohol or tobacco. Since it eventually creates a general effect on the reward system, it can help feed the reward you would usually get from nicotine for example. Why would you need to do another drug to get the reward when would would be doing it itself?

Responsible use is possible of a potentially addictive drug (alcohol, cannabis, caffeine).

Responsible use is not possible of a definitely addictive drug (tobacco, meth, heroin).

That's the dumbest thing I've heard in this thread.
Lots of people smoke tobacco (I'm going to replace 'responsibly' with 'occasionally' since you can be responsibly addicted to something, for example it's not really irresponsible to be addicted to Heroin if you are using it for severe pain relief)
All the drugs you mentioned and thus every drug known is only "potentially addictive". You do not get addicted to Heroin after one hit (as per popular belief). I believe most experts agree you could be high for two days straight before you get any sort of withdrawal. Also tobacco is not "definitely addictive" because millions of people only try smoking once and then never do again if they don't like it. Meth takes ages to get addicted to.

I see you've done none of your own research, well done. Just because it's not about Cannabis, doesn't mean it isn't propaganda.

Basically I believe you can get addicted to the feeling weed gives you. IT makes you feel happy and as some other smart person here said, it takes the edge off things. If you can cope easily with the BS in life without weed, you probably won't get irritated and depressed when you quit.
It's just obvious to you because it is a sudden change from the norm (if you're high constantly). I know from like if I take Xanax for example, for a few days (not long enough for any addiction) on the fourth day I will suddenly notice that I am anxious. It's not that I'm withdrawing it's just that I'm always like that but have never noticed because it's just what I'm used to. But then when I can feel that relaxation I realise how anxious I really am all the time when that relaxation stops.

Also things are addictive mostly because they give you dopamine. There is this chemical I forgot what it's called that actually destroys the excess of dopamine. When you stop taking the drug you don't have as much of the dopamine production but the dopamine destroying chemical stays at the same level which completely depletes dopamine and causes withdrawals. At least that's as much as they know, there might be and probably is more things that contribute to it. However Weed only gives you serotonin, which is what makes you happy and therefore want to be happy again. But there is no dopamine involved.

[MaerieJain]

A lot of this discussion has been regarding mental/psychological addiction and withdrawal, however few physical symptoms of withdrawal have been discussed.
In my experience I have consistently experienced the following symptoms (inclusively) whenever I have ceased smoking:

Excessive sweating/hyperhydrosis
Constipation
Insomnia
Bruxia (teeth grinding in sleep) when finally asleep
Suppression of appetite
Aversion to sweet and sugary foods

I have a number of smoker friends who have experienced some or all of these issues, and some who experience none. I do have some addictive tendencies, and tend to be anxious at times, but regardless of my mindset I do experience the same symptoms. I believe they are related to physical habituation to dehydration and increase in appetite caused by smoking.

There are pharmacological treatments, therapeutic treatment facilities and programs for those wanting to stop smoking. The designing and funding for this certainly suggests many believe marijuana is an addictive substance.

On another note, if there are ANY SUGGESTIONS AT ALL about how to reduce the unpleasantness of withdrawal, PLEASE TELL ME! I've been feeling awful since I ran out!

[evilcloudst]

Like many others in the thread have already said, the drug is mentally addictive, not physcially

[jtsik330]

yes, mental addixtion

[palerider7777]

I think it depends on the user. I know people who toke every day for years and are fine. I also know someone who uses MJ every day and is depressed, anti social, and lacks much motivation to do anything. Then you have people like me who switched from toking to vaporizing because of medical issues. I vaporize every day. Can I go without? Yes but I won't be the happiest camper and I'll be in pain. Many years ago I had a real cocaine addiction so I know the feeling. It took a LOT of strength to kick the habit after I nearly had an OD. These days I won't go anywhere near it and don't associate with anyone who does. I think it's really a case by case basis because many factors can dictate addictive behavior. :hippy:

thats because it's not the drug it's the person.does one have a weak mind or a strong one.really that simple.
or am i the only one in the world that does'nt have an addictive behavior?

and you should have said it like this.many years ago cocaine had a real "me"addiction.

people are the cause of there own addiction not the drug.

[palerider7777]

Like many others in the thread have already said, the drug is mentally addictive, not physcially

naw the person already had the mental probs b4 the drug.

[Faddenator]

It absolutely is addictive mentally. anything that releases serotonin in the brain is addicting. Salt is a good example. You may not think you crave it but you do. It's the reason why processed food contain so much sodium. caffeine is another one often overlooked. If you ever have a headache and can't figure out why... think about the last time you had caffeine. It happens to me all the time.

So while you don't NEED MJ to function, you definitely want it right? Yeah you do. Otherwise you'd never spend 50 bucks for 3.5 grams of a dried up plant.

[TheSmokingMonkey]

My thinking on this has changed pretty significantly since I have had my pharmacology and neuro-psychopathology classes this year and last in med school. I've also heard several really world-class level physicians address this subject, one of them our dean at Southwestern, who's a Nobel Laureate for his groundbreaking g-protein research, which relates quite closely to cannabinoid receptors.

According to what they're teaching today in allopathic (regular M.D. training programs as opposed to osteopathic) medical schools, the cannabinoid, opiate and even nicotine receptor systems are very very closely intertwined in matters of pain, reward, and addiction. Those various drugs/substances act initially through their own receptors, but they eventually trigger a generalized reward system in the brain that can also be triggered by other drugs. So even if, in concept, cannabis isn't physically addictive, it can, in the right brain chemistry--most likely a brain that is genetically susceptible to addiction in the first place--trigger an addictive response. That's not behavioral, either. It's those opiate-cannabinoid-nicotine receptors and their reward system/response working together and becoming systemically responsive to the other substances. I believe this is why some people really do develop a dependency on cannabis, which I've read hundreds of examples here about. There are always plenty of "No, no way"-sayers on this subject, but the people who experience this are very definitely in the grips of something more than psychological dependence. Any one with a propensity for addiction can get addicted to anything, whether it has withdrawal-type dependence or not. Food. Shopping. Gambling. Opiates. Weed. Alcohol. They're those folks who're destined to get hooked to something no matter what. This is why, for them specifically, they truly are addicted, often to multiple substances, and why, for folks who fall into this category, cannabis easily can be a gateway drug. Argue all you want, but for some people it is addictive and it does lead to other types of drugs because of that response linkage to the other receptors. In these people, there is also fairly marked physical withdrawal when they discontinue cannabis after heavy and repeated use, probably as a result of the withdrawal effects on the opiate receptors.

Here's some good info, and please don't dismiss it. These researchers are learning more and more every day about why this happens to some people and not to others. This is seminal and significant research about these receptors, including several very good links and excellent bibliographical sources.

The Why Files | 4. Recognizing drug receptors

Never heard of this polydrug abuse axis before (if it could be called that? sorry if the terminology is inaccurate) - thanks for posting.

Also: several studies have shown withdrawal symptoms in SOME users (notably, very heavy users or users who started using mj at a young age), but none (that I'm aware of) have posited a credible explanation for them.