Since cannabis addiction is much less severe than tobacco and other addictions, providing a definition has become a challenging task for researchers and even gave birth to controversy.
Â
Â
Letâs review the latest research and find out if everyone can put down cannabis relatively easily.
Letâs make one thing very clear from the start: no one has died from cannabis use. While this is an incredible fact that makes cannabis incomparable with tobacco and alcohol addiction-related deaths, it also misleads that marijuana addiction doesnât exist. Cannabis has a potential for being addictive, says the National Institute on Drug Abuse. According to this source, 30 percent of marijuana users develop some degree of marijuana use disorder, which takes the form of addiction in some cases.
Hereâs the list of signs of cannabis addiction:
A comprehensive, widely accepted definition of chronic cannabis use doesnât exist. However, one can make safe assumptions by analyzing population samples in studies of chronic cannabis use. For example, a recent study published in âDiabetes Careâ used chronic cannabis smokers with the following characteristics:
Also, scientists studying marijuana addiction also suggest that an addicted person is someone who attempted to quit several times throughout the years but failed every time.
So, an addicted individual is someone who smokes 10 joints on average every day for the past 10 years and tried unsuccessfully to quit.
Another important factor for addiction is lack of responsibility skills. According to Carl Hart, an associate professor of psychology at Columbia University who gave an interview to Healthline, addiction rates increase in population groups âwho are not plugged in with jobs, families, and social networks.â
The health effects of cannabis addiction have been investigated for a long time, but limited evidence exists on addiction. Hereâs what is known: after several days of marijuana use, it becomes stored in the bodyâs fatty tissue. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), one of the cannabinoids contained in the marijuana plant, is gradually released into the bloodstream.
One of the most comprehensive studies that summarized 20 years of adverse health effects of chronic cannabis use was published in Addiction journal and provided some interesting results. According to this study, a continuous supply of cannabinoids produces a continuous effect, so the person smoking cannabis on a regular basis will experience a slightly affected focus, concentration, and attention.
Hereâs the list of health effects described by the researchers:
The Bottom Line
Cannabis addiction is rare but it very real and dangerous. Even though most people donât experience withdrawal, some have to turn to rehab or support groups to beat the addiction. Preventing addiction thus should be a goal of every cannabis user.
Â
TheFreshToast.com, a U.S. lifestyle site, that contributes lifestyle content and, with their partnership with 600,000 physicians via Skipta, medical marijuana information to The GrowthOp.
Want to keep up to date on whatâs happening in the world of cannabis?  Subscribe to the Cannabis Post newsletter for weekly insights into the industry, what insiders will be talking about and content from across the Postmedia Network.