They help control various functions, such as hunger, memory, and alertness, and make adjustments in real time to keep your body running smoothly. THC bypasses this system, just like someone slipping past a bouncer at a club. Just like liquor stores are licensed to sell different types of alcohol, cannabis dispensaries have permits to sell weed. They have a variety of strains and types to choose from, and the people who work there can probably suggest products you can try, based on the outcome you’re looking for.

Can recreational pot smokers become addicted?

This challenge may account for part of the reluctance of the pharmaceutical industry to invest in developing new medications aimed at reducing drug use. Nevertheless, there is increasing research demonstrating the relative strength of quantitative measures of drug use frequency versus binary measures of abstinence in assessing the efficacy of drug use disorder treatments. The FDA has historically favored abstinence as the endpoint in trials to develop medications for substance use disorders. Abstinence is marijuana addictive has been evaluated using absence of positive urine drug tests, absence of self-reported drug use, and regularly attending sessions where drug use is assessed.

Long-Term Effects of Weed

Sign up for InsideHook to get our best content delivered to your inbox every weekday. Whether you’re looking to get into shape, or just get out of a funk, The Charge has got you covered. Marijuana consumed in products made from marijuana extract, such as a solvent-based oil, contains between 54% and 69% THC—in some cases, exceeding 80%. If you use weed and need to go somewhere, ask a sober friend to drive you, take public transit, or call a taxi or ride-share service. Researchers still don’t know how CBD could harm a developing baby. So, you should stop using all CBD products while you’re pregnant and nursing.

Reversing Cannabis-Related Issues

They’re looking at antidepressants, cannabinoid agonists, mood stabilizers, and insomnia medication, but there are no FDA-approved meds for CUD. Some of these may treat mental health problems that worsen CUD. The idea that marijuana isn’t addictive comes from the fact that it doesn’t create the same kind of intense physical withdrawal that drugs like opioids or alcohol do.

how addictive is marijuana

How Addictive Is Marijuana?

The negative effects of use appear to be more of an issue for those who use more often and over a longer period of time. However, research is limited and the details of the negative effects on the brain are not fully understood. Yes, withdrawal symptoms like irritability, anxiety, and insomnia can occur, especially in heavy users. That said, there are reasons to believe that cannabis works differently than other habit-forming substances. Emerging research suggests that unlike alcohol, nicotine and opioids, cannabis does not follow a linear relationship between dosage and addiction.

How Marijuana Affects Your Mind & Body

Cocaine and heroin are more physically harmful and nicotine is much more addictive. It is much harder to quit smoking cigarettes than it is to quit smoking pot. Not just your surgeon or primary care doctor, but any health care provider you see for physical or mental health, needs to know about your cannabis use.

how addictive is marijuana

Studies also note that if you’re at risk of a mental condition, you may be more likely to smoke marijuana at an earlier age, maybe as a way to medicate yourself. Despite its widespread use, many more studies are needed to understand how regular marijuana use may affect your brain and body. Even so, more research needs to be done, especially on marijuana’s long-term effects. The main psychoactive ingredient in weed, THC, travels into your bloodstream to your brain. Once there, it connects to tiny receptors on your nerve cells called cannabinoid receptors. You can think of these receptors like bouncers at a club, monitoring what goes in and out of your cells.