For some, fear of marijuana addiction is the main reason for misinterpreting this ‘natural healer’. But it seems that in reality, things are slightly different than what the government serves us as facts.
The war on drugs is causing a lot of misjudgement when it comes to marijuana and other substances that in reality have therapeutic properties and close to no harmful effects on the body, mind or spirit.
Although every drug can be abused in a way or another, we should be able to overcome this mental obstacle once we have educated ourselves regarding the risks and benefits put into balance.
Being addicted to marijuana brings a bunch of unwanted states into your life. You become unmotivated, you’re mostly inactive and your willpower and capacity to concentrate reach record lows. Even with all these bad habits at hand, it comes hard not to smoke another dub, but does cannabis really cause a physical and psychological addiction? Or does it manifest different from one person to another?
To elucidate this mystery, let’s have a look at 4 misinterpreted myths about marijuana addiction that mainly prove to be wrong:
#1 – It’s not addictive.
Although some may argue that weed addiction is not a real thing, there are specially coordinated studies that seem to demonstrate the contrary. All substance addictions are defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV). For cannabis, it provides a series of scenarios that indicate the consumer could also be addicted. Although subjective at times, the description is fairly accurate.
“If you’ve ever, all at once, happened to experience (i) tolerance, (ii) difficulty cutting back, and (iii) spent “considerable time” trying to obtain marijuana, it means that fall under the right criteria for addiction. You can also become aware of a marijuana addiction if things such as insomnia, loss of appetite or cravings are bothering you.”
A research paper published by NIDA researchers concluded that 9 percent of people who try marijuana at least once in their lives will, at some point, become addicted.
#2 – It’s highly addictive.
Although nine is a considerable percent, it’s nothing compared to the numbers recorded by other popular substances. Tobacco is on top of the list with a staggering 32%, heroin with 23%, cocaine with 17%, followed closely by alcohol with 15%.
Cannabis also has a clear advantage when talking about withdrawal symptoms which, compared to other substances such as heroin and tobacco, are far less harmful.
#3 – Teen addiction is an ascendant trend.
One of the various reasons why cannabis is still illegal is probably the addiction it causes among teens. This seemingly expanding phenomenon has sparked debate nationwide. However, the nomination criteria are kind of subjective, and here is why.
Many negative claims can easily be scientifically debunked, meaning that an established statistic that says “1 in 6 minors who try marijuana become addicted” or “60 percent of teens in rehab are cannabis smokers,” will easily be challenged by a well-organized pole that would bring different results.
And to cut to the root of the problem, most adults consider that teens shouldn’t have access to marijuana in the first place, but because of the illicit industry operating in tandem with the war on drugs, teens are more exposed to drug trafficking than they would if inside a regulated marijuana economy that would only sell on prescription.
#4 – Addiction is always a cause for trouble.
Now that we know that cannabis addiction isn’t as bad as they would like us to believe, let’s focus on the harmful effects it has on the body and mind. But wait, are there any?
Various studies reveal that cannabis has no long-term health disadvantages, other than the ones mentioned above. In fact, constant marijuana use can help treat your existent ailments while also preventing others from happening.
Like in the case of ADHD and depression, a daily cannabis use could help treat these hard to discover afflictions. Since marijuana is a medicinal plant, there’s a thin line between a treatment and a daily habit of smoking or ingesting it. That, in turn, is given by the illicit label imposed by the government on this mystic and medicinal herb.
Openhearted Rebellion 