A lot of people believe marijuana isn’t that big of a deal.  It’s a “gateway drug”, something people try before they move on to the real dangerous drugs.  It’s common for coming-of-age movies to depict marijuana use as just one of many hijinks that ensue throughout the story.  Thousands of people support legalization of marijuana citing its lack of dangerous properties.

But this is a huge underestimation of marijuana’s addictive potential. People don’t have to be physically dependent on a drug to become addicted.  Psychological addiction is a strong component with heavy marijuana use.  You need to know more about marijuana addiction to understand that it’s for real.

Marijuana and Psychological Addiction

Psychological addiction can be just as compelling as physical addiction.  The compulsion to keep using more marijuana can become all-consuming. People who use marijuana regularly do so because they prefer the relaxing effects to reality.  They typically spend as much time as possible in a state of marijuana intoxication.  They create a lifestyle around getting and using marijuana as seriously as people plan to eat three meals a day.

It is one of the absolutes of nearly any day or week of their life.  They wouldn’t consider going very long without being able to secure more marijuana.  They have plenty of drug sources and take whatever time is necessary to keep their marijuana supply ready.  They have an overwhelming and irresistible desire to use it as often as they can.  Does this sound like casual off-and-on marijuana use?  No, this is the power of psychological addiction.

Marijuana Can Cause Physical Harm

And just because marijuana isn’t proven to be physically addictive doesn’t mean it can’t be harmful.  If you drive while you have been using marijuana, you are impaired.  Marijuana can affect how alert you are, how you perceive your driving environment, and the choices you make as you drive.  When someone uses marijuana heavily, they may have a much more difficult time telling how intoxicated they are and whether they are fit to drive.

Marijuana is also particularly dangerous for teens.  The human brain does not complete its development until a person is about twenty five years old.  Heavy marijuana use affects the blood flow in the brain, making learning and memory tasks difficult.  Also, the younger a person is when they start using marijuana, the more likely they are to become addicted to it.  This only compounds all the other problems associated with heavy marijuana use.

Lung damage is also a significant problem.  Marijuana contains tar, just like regular cigarettes. You may also be surprised to learn that marijuana smoke contains more cancer causing toxins than cigarette smoke.  Also, cigarette smokers exhale fairly soon after they take a draw from their cigarette.  Marijuana users typically hold their breath for as long as they can to get the drug into their body.  Many people know that smokers have more problems with coughing and respiratory illnesses over time.  This is also true of regular heavy marijuana users.

Marijuana Addiction - A Real Problem

The picture is clear - marijuana addiction is a real problem today.  Marijuana use is glamorized, but marijuana addiction is harmful for so many people each day.  For more information about marijuana addiction, pick up the phone and call today.

The image of NBA superstar LeBron James has always seemed a little “too perfect” - perhaps crafted by the handlers who have a stake in his massive marketing empire.   So it was fascinating to see him to admit to being a “pot smoking jerk” in high school in the pages of his new autobiography, Shooting Stars.

James’ admission is refreshing, and seems to confirm claims that most of the basketball players in the NBA have used marijuana sporadically (or regularly) and various points during their lives.  The concern is the potential message it sends to young athletes.   “Hey, I can smoke some weed now and STILL end up like LeBron James!”

It is important that LeBron James follow up this honest moment with some advice for his millions of young admirers about the dangers of marijuana addiction.   Sure, it is not heroin or crystal meth, but the lack of motivation that chronic THC use produces can hamper a young person’s future at a time when they are at an emotional and personal crossroads.

For now, LeBron will continue being LeBron - prepping to attempt a run at the 2010 NBA title and rolling up for another million dollar endorsement.   Let’s hope that young kids who smoke pot have every opportunity to do the same.

If you need marijuana addiction treatment help, contact a drug rehab center in your area.  The caring professionals at these facilities can help you overcome the physical and psychological addiction to drugs - and pave the way for a bright future.

It is easy to judge the parents of children who are using drugs - but the reality is that even the most attentive, well-meaning parents may be unaware of the child’s marijuana use unless they know what to look for.

The follow is a list of hallmark signs and symptoms of teen marijuana use - that taken together acts as a watch list for vigilant parents who want to address their child’s marijuana use or marijuana addiction before it opens the door to even more serious problems.

Parental Watch List for Teen Marijuana Use

• Hanging out with a new group of friends (who may unfamiliar to the family)
• Sudden drop in grades or poor attendance at school
• Use of perfume or room deodorant to hide smell of marijuana smoke in their room
• Secretive behavior
• Finding drug paraphernalia such as pipes or rolling papers
• Borrowing money
• Using eye drops to mask bloodshot eyes
• Uses mouthwash or gum more than normal to cover up breath

As a parent, the most important tool at your command is common sense.  You know your child.   As such, you know when everything is OK and when that child may need help in the form of a drug treatment center.

Unless you’ve been living at the bottom of the pool for the past several weeks, you’ve probably heard that all-time Olympic record holder Michael Phelps was caught (via photo) smoking pot at a party.

The picture circulated around the web and was quickly picked up by a mainstream media that quickly vilified Phelps who, up to this point, was considered a squeaky-clean pitchman on Madison Avenue.

So where does this leave the swimmer?  How harshly should he be punished by society, and perhaps, the law?

Let’s take a look at the two sides to this story.

“Throw the book at him”

There are plenty of good reasons to act swiftly and severely against Phelps.  He is a hero and a role model to millions of young people.  If his pot smoking goes unpunished, the kids will begin to believe that smoking pot has no impact on one’s performance.  After all, if Phelps could be a pot head and win all those gold medals, then what’s the harm?

By bringing charges against Phelps it would provide a strong cautionary tale - and likely require Phelps to perform a great deal of community service.  This would include PSAs and public appearance where he could spread the word that marijuana is a harmful drug and can lead to much worse, including drug addiction.

“Give him a break”

There’s also a great deal of support for the contrary position.  We have reached a point in this country where marijuana abuse is seen as a fairly harmless activity.  Many advocates of legalizing the drug are calling upon the government to leave Phelps alone, saying that if he wants to engage in social pot smoking he should well be entitiled to do so.  Even members of law enforcement are saying that arresting Phelps for the photo is not the right call.

No matter which side of the argument you’re on, the fact remains that Phelps’ legacy is damaged forever.  This will never undermine his athletic achievements, of course, but as a public figure, that single grainy image of Phelps with mouth-to-bong has changed how we will view him for many years.

Whatever happens in the coming weeks and months, we must take this opportunity to talk to our children about drug use.  Marijuana is a gateway drug that can lead to heroin addiction, alcohol abuse or a number of other more serious issues that may require addiction treatment.

HBO Documentary explores the penalties for international drug trafficking

Ganja Q

ueen, the harrowing new documentary from HBO Films, is the true story of Schappelle Corby, an Australian woman jailed in Indonesia for allegedly attempting to smuggle marijuana out of the country. The movie is groundbreaking in that it manages to smuggle cameras into the Indonesia prison where the woman is being held, and depicts the horrifying conditions the prisoners live with while incarcerated.

Although questions regarding Schapelle’s guilt or innocence are the backbone of the film, it also offers a cautionary tale for drug users and would-be drug smugglers thinking about trafficking abroad. Many international governments, especially those in the third world, don’t play around when it comes to cocaine, heroin and marijuana, and those Westerners who think that their country will protect them when arrested for a drug violation are often sadly mistaken.

Ganja Queen represents a story similar to that of Midnight Express with a message that is just as powerful now as it was then.

Ganja Queen premieres on HBO on June 30 at 9pm.

For residential drug treatment that helps treat the mind, body and spirit, visit Michael’s House today.