Quick Facts about Marijuana Addiction
It is very important to help individuals stop using marijuana. Despite its reputation as being a "harmless drug", marijuana – when used to excess over time – carries with it several key health consequences including cancer, long term memory loss and some serious mental health issues.
Consider the following facts about marijuana and marijuana addiction
- Marijuana addiction is characterized by the prolonged use of marijuana over time, and the desire to smoke more even though you realize that it isn't good for your health.
- Those addicted to marijuana may develop a tolerance to the drug – require them to smoke more and more in order to achieve a high.
- Those addicted to marijuana are unable to slow down or discontinue their use of the drug.
- Short term effects of heavy marijuana use include: memory and learning problems, distorted perception, poor problem solving ability, loss of motor skills, etc.
- Long term effects of heavy marijuana use include permanent physical changes to the brain and its functions.
- Marijuana addiction can cause poor performance at work or slipping grades at school.
- It can also cause a shift away from old friends and family and towards a new "drug-friendly" crowd that doesn't criticize the individual about his or her drug use.
- Marijuana is considered to be both emotionally and mentally addictive, becoming a part of who you are and how you characterize yourself. In a very real sense, the drug becomes part of your persona.
- THC, the active ingredient in marijuana affects the areas of the brain that control pleasure, thought, memory, concentration, time perception, and coordination. These are the same areas that suffer when an individual becomes addicted to marijuana.
- THC impairs the ability of our body's immune system to fight disease by inhibiting certain cells that fight against tumors and other illnesses.
- Depression and anxiety have been closely linked with heavy, prolonged use of marijuana.
- Women who smoke marijuana while pregnant are at risk for have babies with neurological disorders and problem with visual stimuli and attention span.
- Drug treatment programs have been found to be successful in the treatment of marijuana addiction. In particular, group and individual therapy elements of marijuana drug rehab have brought about
Don't think that marijuana is simply a harmless drug. If you or someone you know is a regular pot smoker, they may need to enter a drug rehab program. At Michael's House we help those addicted to marijuana and their families make good decisions about drug treatment – and develop a program suited to meet the needs of the individual. Contact Michael's House at today for more information.
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