The Need For Marijuana Addiction Treatment Centers
marijuana blunt 2000—Torben Bjørn Hansen (Flickr.com)
What is undeniably the most popular and most controversial illegal drug in America, and probably in other parts of the world as well is what is colloquially known as pot, weed or grass . It is more widely known as Marijuana, the drug made from the Cannabis sativa plant, which has the main psychoactive substance tetrahydrocannabinol or THC.
Marijuana is a habit-forming and addictive substance, and it is not easy to quit once you have become psychologically and physically dependent on the drug. The addiction is treated in many marijuana addiction treatment centers but the longer exposure and dependence on the illegal substance takes a longer and more complex rehabilitation process. Treatment from Marijuana addiction may also involve detox rehab because habitual marijuana users also experience physical withdrawal symptoms that make it difficult for them to quit without qualified clinical assistance from a drug rehab facility.
Marijuana Addiction Treatment Facts
Medicinenet confirms that marijuana is indeed addictive, and over 4% of the United States population develop dependency to it. Across all age groups, the rate of marijuana addiction has become elevated.
How can you tell if someone has developed marijuana addiction? According to Medicinenet, you are considered a marijuana addict if significant problems have resulted from your pattern of marijuana, and you manifest at least three of the following symptoms within the same year:
- Tolerance, which is characterized by diminished response which causes you to increase dosage to achieve the same effect as the last time
- Withdrawal symptoms, which occur upon cessation of drug use
- Taking greater doses for a longer time, exceeding the planned usage
- Unabating desire for marijuana use and inability to decrease or control use
- Spending a lot of time in acquiring and, or recovering from it
- Neglecting or spending a lot less time on work and school activities, social activities, and leisure activities to make way for using marijuana
- Continued marijuana use in spite of knowing negative effects of the substance
Medical Marijuana Addiction Treatment
Medically, Marijuana is used as a muscle relaxant, bronchodilator (for improving air flow in the lungs), appetite stimulant, and antiemetic (for alleviating nausea and vomiting). The substance is also known for its hallucinogenic effect, probably one of the qualities that make it popular among substance abusers.
Medical Marijuana May Not Be all It’s Cracked Up To Be – From The News
TheNewsTribune.com reports that the Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday to ban medical marijuana dispensaries in the city, the culmination of years of controversy over the sale of pot here. Meanwhile, in Oakland, a federal crackdown closed the nation’s largest dispensary amid protests and demonstrations…
Aside from THC, Marijuana also contains more than 400 chemicals and some of its immediate physical effects include a faster heartbeat and pulse rate, bloodshot eyes and mouth and throat dryness. A common negative effect of Marijuana is the “acute panic anxiety reaction” or what people describe as the feeling of panic from the extreme fear of losing control.
The Negative Side Effects Of Marijuana
Short Term Effects of Marijuana
Marijuana addiction treatment centers are on the front lines helping addicts with their detox. Research shows that Marijuana can have negative mental effects because the drug can impair short-term memory, reduce people’s ability to concentrate and alter their sense of time. Marijuana use among young people has shown that it can dramatically interfere with their learning process because it affects their thinking, reading comprehension and verbal and mathematical skills. Studies show that students do not remember what they learn when they are under the influence of Marijuana.
Marijuana use is dangerous because it impairs or reduces people’s ability to do things that require concentration, swift reaction and coordination. People who drive vehicles or operate machinery are at a higher risk of causing an accident because their thinking and reflex skills are said to be impaired for at least four to six hours after smoking Marijuana.
What Is THC?
The active Marijuana ingredient THC also makes the effects of the substance linger for up to two days after the last Marijuana use. THC is known to be extremely fat-soluble, meaning it can be stored in the body’s fatty tissues. It can be continuously and slowly absorbed by a person’s bloodstream for up to two days after smoking Marijuana. Moreover, Marijuana can be identified in the body system of heavy users by modern drug testing techniques up to one month or at least two to three weeks after the last use.
Smoking Marijuana has been associated with the impairment of users’ immune system because studies have shown that cannabinoid receptors can come in high concentrations in a Marijuana user’s brain and certain immune system cells. The list of Marijuana’s negative effects on a person’s health goes on but it doesn’t deter current and potential users from abusing the substance. They can be better informed and treated in a qualified substance abuse treatment center so that they would fully understand the negative effects Marijuana can have on their life and on the lives of the people they love.
If you or someone you know suffers from a marijuana addiction call Hawaii Island Recovery at 1-866-515-5032 or use our online form.
