Marijuana often has a reputation for being a “natural” drug that is much safer than other hard drugs and alcohol. Marijuana certainly has proven benefits and positive effects for a wide variety of physical and mental ailments. However, this positive reputation among some cultural settings can lead to a downplaying of Marijuana’s potential negative effects.

Natural does not mean harmless

One common myth surrounding marijuana is that because it is “natural” that means there is no risk of marijuana addiction. The reality is much different than this popular assumption. Many people struggle with cannabis addiction, and it is definitely possible to become psychologically or physiologically addicted to marijuana.

This is not to say that cannabis is all bad and you shouldn’t use it. Different people have different relationships to substances in their lives - plenty of people are addicted to caffeine and it doesn’t have too much of a negative impact on their lives. I think it’s important, though, to take an honest look at how substances are affecting your life, and with marijuana, this means understanding and recognizing the symptoms of marijuana addiction.

Where is the line between “use” and “addiction” ?

There is no objective line where healthy use stops and addictive behaviors start with any substance. At the end of the day, “addiction” is a label that describes a set of behaviors around substance use. There is no exact definition, and it’s not always entirely clear whether you are in an addiction or not.

Common signs of addiction include:

• Not being able to stop even though you want to

• Continuously telling yourself you will quit at some point in the future

• Lying to yourself or to those around you about your use

• Withdrawal symptoms if you don’t use

• Cravings, routines, or rituals built up around your use

• Continuing to use despite negative health effects
  
  

Higher potency leads to worse side effects

The prevalence of cannabis extracts, powerful edibles, and rising THC contents in today’s marijuana opens up the door to much higher potencies of cannabis than were widely in the past. If you are using extracts like cartridge pens, hash oil dabs, powerful edibles, or other high potency forms of cannabis, the effects of the cannabis on your system will be a lot more powerful. This means the positive effects will be greater, and so will the negative effects. The ease of use and prevalent availability of high potency extracts today leads to increased chances of addiction and negative side effects of cannabis use. 

Withdrawals

Withdrawals from cannabis use appear to be very real according to countless first hand experience reports on the internet and according to relevant academic research (1). Many people report negative effects when stopping cannabis including:

• Sweating

• Anger or irritability

• Anxiety

• Depression 

• Emotional disturbances

• Difficulty sleeping

• Nightmares

These symptoms and more result from continuous and consistent high potency cannabis use. Some people don’t experience much withdrawal at all while others can experience mild to severe symptoms. According to recent research, cannabis withdrawal often peaks 10 days after discontinuation of use, and can last for up to a month (1).

Cannabis use in teens

While cannabis addiction can occur in anyone, the effects of cannabis use on teenagers is especially likely to result in negative consequences. A 2014 study found that teens who use or get addicted to cannabis can have negative effects on cognitive performance, social functioning and academic performance (2). This is especially troubling given how common cannabis use is among teens and adolescents.

In conclusion

The bottom line is that while cannabis can have great benefits in medical, recreational, and even spiritual settings, it would be a mistake to ignore the potential negative effects as well. Keeping an open mind and an honest perspective on your drug and alcohol use will help you maintain balance with the substances in your life. Understanding the potential negative effects and risk of addiction to cannabis will help you look out for any troubling signs, and maintain your use at levels that offer benefits to your life without causing negative side effects.

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If you are struggling with cannabis addiction or you aren’t sure if you are addicted or not, feel free to reach out for support. I offer confidential and non-judgemental drug and alcohol counseling in Santa Cruz. You can reach out to schedule a free 20 minute consultation here to see if I might be able to help you. 

References:
1) Hesse, M., & Thylstrup, B. (2013). Time-course of the DSM-5 cannabis withdrawal symptoms in poly-substance abusers. BMC psychiatry, 13, 258. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-244X-13-258

2) Jacobus, J., & Tapert, S. F. (2014). Effects of cannabis on the adolescent brain. Current pharmaceutical design, 20(13), 2186–2193. https://doi.org/10.2174/13816128113199990426