Marijuana addiction, as with many addictions, has a set of identifiable signs and symptoms. Two symptoms that hold true across the board is loss of control over the drug and an inability to stop despite efforts to do so.
In the article that follows there are 10 marijuana addiction symptoms. These are not for diagnosis, but rather red flags that addiction treatment may be needed 
10 Signs You Have a Pot Addiction
By Michael Porteous
There are many signs you have a pot addiction whether it be warnings while you are smoking or perhaps things that have happened when you have tried to quit. Some people freely admit they are or were addicted while others struggle with the concept of being addicted to a drug that has no physical dependency issues like cigarettes or heroin but is instead a psychological addiction making it harder to recognize from your own view point. Some things you may want to look for in yourself or in others who might be addicted to marijuana are as follows:
Have tried to quit smoking pot and failed
Quitting any habit can be hard but those that may be addicted to a behavior or substance (or both) often realize that this is harmful to their life and have tried to stop smoking weed and have failed even though they may know it is for the best.
Lack of motivation
While many might just confuse this with a lack of direction many habitual marijuana smokers report having a sever lack of motivation to do anything that can be very harmful on relationships, work and more. This is usually found in long term users and may be linked to brain chemical changes over time that regulate mood.
Depression
Depression is a strange thing and some people can feel depressed when smoking weed or they become depressed after stopping their marijuana habit. Depression has also been linked to brain chemistry but also to environment as a result as well, this means there could be a mix of drug abuse and problems and issues that could cause this which often leads people to smoke more to get away from it. If smoking weed or quitting weed causes fluctuations in depressive symptoms something is wrong and could be linked to an addiction.
Anxiety
Much like depression anxiety and panic attacks can be found during or when stopping pot smoking. If you are trying to quit and suffer panic attacks or general anxiety this could be considered a sign of addiction if it drives you back to smoking.
Anger
As marijuana plays with your brain and alters your mood regulators some people find anger and rage an issue which drives them to smoke more which is a short term solutions to their anger problems which might be linked to marijuana or a separate issue that is covered up by excessive use making them addicted to the substance.
Relationship problems
Not only romantic relationships but friendships, family bonds and so forth. If you find yourself having difficulty interacting with anyone who is not a pothead or you feel you are drifting further away from your loved ones due to marijuana but feel powerless to stop it you may have found more signs you have a pot addiction.
Shifting Priorities
Do you find yourself spending money on pot when you should be spending it on rent, food, tuition, health or anything else that is of prime importance to yourself? When smoking marijuana becomes something you sacrifice to do it is considered an addiction.
Any Excuse
Do you find you are making excuses to smoke more weed? Putting off invitations, skipping school or work or lying so you have more time to get high?
Defensiveness
Do you find yourself becoming aggressive when people confront you about smoking pot when they are not trying to condemn you but are trying to help?
I NEED WEED!
Do you feel that you do not just want pot and want to get high but you feel you NEED to smoke and without it your life will be worse, have no meaning or be too hard to deal with? Signs you have a pot addiction like this are the core part of a psychological addiction.
If these signs sound like your life or the life of someone you know, visit Marijuana Addiction Treatment at Challenges-Program.com to find out more about addiction and how to quit smoking pot!
{ 53 comments… read them below or add one }
My partner smokes a lot of Marijuana and has been doing so for years. He has some classic symptoms of being addicted from what you have listed here. I just can’t seem to get him motivated to get help, but I suppose that is up to him.
I’ve always struggled too as others have to understand how you can have an addiction that is not physical. I know it’s out there though, but it is just hard to grasp. That being said, I have seen people that get angry when they can’t smoke weed, and most definitely lose motivation. I had no idea that made them dependent upon it though.
my boyfriend smokes weed. when he doesnt hes the best partner and father i could ever dream of, but when he smokes it, like tonight, he turns into an aggressive, defensive, argumentative monster. I’ve just been told off and got a lecture for something really stupid. Its like when i lived with my alcoholic ex. He says hes trying to stop, he even went to the doctor, but when temptation comes he cant resist. i know an addict of any kind wont stop untill they want to, till theyre ready but he reduces me to tears everytime he does this. i dont think i can cope anymore. i love him dearly but i dont love his addiction. am having a sorry for myself day, i just wish he could open his eyes and see what hes missing, two beautiful children and a woman who would do anything for him.
Cannabis addiction is real I was addicted for years, one of the problems with cannabis addiction, is that many in society refuses to accept it exists in the first place, so there are so many out there who are hooked and don’t even realize it.
I am so grateful to hear all your comments. My daughter is addicted to pot, plus she is a alcoholic, but she will admit to neither. She has 2 beautiful little children and a loving husband who also uses! Ive tried to take the kids and do things with them as often as possible, but that has all stopped now, cause I have turned out to be the bad guy somehow. Scape-goat! She has taken the kids away from me so I cant see them. The kids will suffer as a result of her constant anger and twisted attitude towards people. She blames me for most everything, so she doesn’t have to look at herself, or maybe her own guilt at her anger and rage, I don’t know… I just know I am brokenhearted at watching her go down hill and I don’t dare say anything cause she will blow her stack- its like walking on eggshells and being expected not to brake them… She is like a porcupine with Rabies- I don’t have any support for an intervention, so I am praying a lot for her and asking God to direct me in the right direction… I miss my daughter and my grandchildren. She has been using since she was 15 years old, (living with her dad then) and she is now in her mid 30′s, so over half of her life has been in smoking pot and drinking alcohol. she started 5 years after my divorce from her dad who was then drinking.
What a heart ache that never heals- as long as she is using and hurting those around her!!
I am addicted to weed. The most obvious sign is that I honestly feel I NEED it. Without weed I am very irritable it is much harder to get through the day with my two kids screaming and throwing fits all day long. I keep all of it hidden from my children they are not around when I smoke I will go outside in the garage. They are not affected whatsoever they do not know anything. Even though I know I am addicted, I do not see the problem with it. In my eyes as well as many others that I know, it is just weed no big deal. What could it hurt? I am not unfunctional AT ALL. I take care of all my responsibilities high can someone point out a real problem associated with this? I don’t see one.
My brother told me yesterday that he feels he needs to use weed in order to sleep. I had no idea that he’s felt this way since he was 16. I thought he was an occasional user. With this new knowledge and after reading this and many other articles I’ve realized that his abuse of marijuana is a serious problem that has effected his life and in effect my life in alot of negative ways. We never got along when we were teenager’s because of his mood swings and I’m sure he was either drunk or high a lot of the time, but I just thought he hated me. We have gotten close in the last few years, and most of the time he’s fun to be around. Until he runs out of money. He becomes argumentative and over sensitive and paranoid. I thought it was because he was upset about his mishandling of his money and lack of cigarettes. But yesterday when he told me about his dependence on marijuana, it hit me hard. That’s why he has no money. That’s why he is so moody.
I don’t know why its different now that I know he spends his money on marijuana instead of just cigarretes and alcohol, but it is. I guess its because I’ve been loaning him money (and so has our mom and dad), but he still didn’t have any money to buy a loaf of bread to make a sandwich. That speaks to where his priorities lay. I thought I was helping him out of a tight spot, but now it seems like I have been helping him feed his addiction and buy an illegal drug. I feel taken advantage of and I couldn’t sleep last night because of the situation.
I don’t have a problem with the use of marijuana in general, but the abuse of anything is unhealthy. He has a great job now and in the past things have fallen apart because of his abuse of alcohol, and I guess weed. I’m just scared that it will happen again… or even something worse.
I have been married for seven years without realising my husband is a cannabis addict. We have 3 beautiful boys and he recently admitted his addiction. I loved him regardless of the mood swings, anger, paranoia, laziness, getting overweight and lack of emotion towards me and his kids.
The shock of finding out was worsened as he started to smoke at home. I then watched for 5 months as the weed took over all of the past 7 seven years I had spent with him. I felt sick that I had accepted his behaviour for so long without realising the cause.
It took alot of courage and heartache to tell him it was going to be ‘me and the kids or the drugs’. he replied ‘get me help’. I didnt know wether to cry or be grateful.I was at breaking point and tried to end my own life, because I could’nt take the betrayal of 7 years.He seeems to be a different person already, but I can only hope it lasts.
I then recieved support from family when they realised the terrible secret my husband had made me keep for past 5 months.They helped us work through things for the sake of the children. He admitted his problem and has now been of the cannabis for 3 weeks. I can only hope it lasts.
Finally some proof that Im not crazy. My ex boyfriend is my ex for one reason and that reason is his addiction to pot. I had experienced so many times when he was very rude and would snap at me for some really minor thing and sometimes for no reason at all. He smokes on a daily basis and most often than not many times in one day. At first I let it go but then I realized how it was affecting how he treated me. He claimed to love me but was too high most of the time to know how or be able to express it. His addiction is very sad. He is convinced that smoking weed is no worse than having a few beers. He is high when he drives, he now sells it from his home and quit his day job. It has truly become everything he lives for. He lied to me over and over that he stopped. Im so sad for him because he seems just lost in this unrealistic world. Im glad to have no part of that life any longer but still miss his seldom moments of sobriety. when he was high, I wasn’t really there. I felt alone because the drug took his mind away. I now pray that he finds his way out but I don’t have much hope. He just got arrested the other day and that just seemed to embolden his beliefs that pot should be free to smoke any where and any time. Its his choice and now I can find someone who isn’t buried in a false cloud of joy and peace. Someone who knows that Im present and can see the concerns I have in my life. Someone addicted to pot doesn’t have that ability. I learned that firsthand.
what i need is perspective~i have allowed pot addiction/prescription drug abuse by my boyfriend of 7 years, take me beyond my reasoning; i love him, his using has always been a conflict, now i am at my end of tolerating or believing in him~he says he needs me, and he really is willing to seek help as not to lose me. i know he has to stop for himself! he has had affairs and lied to me, now he is broke, unemployed, homeless~i am lost with him, yet i care for him! i am sick of the same patterns repeating~i will not be intimate with him anymore due to his numerous betrayals~i was devastated when i found out about this in 2008/it had been going on since we decided to live in seperate households (2007) due to my conflict with his usage and his constant lying about wanting to change, we were still in a relationship (one-sidedly)! now he claims he is ready for a new life~i feel he is just going to use and abuse me for his needs~i feel wrong to break up with him for i love him and love never fails, yet we only have a one-sided relationship, what is wrong with me, i am overwhelmed~~my tough love only revealed its ugly back on me, i am 50, in menopause, have never engaged myself in drugs, my life with him has been unpredictable since he has been on/off ~ in/out of treatment, jail, probation, over our 7 years, why should i believe in him anymore, (or at all) why can’t i just walk away? THIS IS THE HARDEST OF ANYTHING TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO/MY LIFE IS SAD! i am responsible for myself i know, as he is responsible for himself, the issue is i love him so i live with the harm of his irresponsibilities, choices, repeated patterns i do not know my strengths anymore! am i failing us, me, or him if i decide to just focus on me? i always held onto hope~now i feel i am useless, by being used! i need time to focus, he is ready to change, i do not trust him anymore~what am i doing/being? HELP?
My ex used to snap at me, then call me 30 minutes later and apologize. I never new why he would always do this, but I think he might be addicted to marijuana. It didn’t make sense at the time, however it seemed when he was low on the drug is when it would come out the most.
It’s as silly to say anyone can be addicted to marijuana any more than you can be addicted to, say, ice cream. Repeatedly returning to something that brings you pleasure is called a habit, not an addiction, simply because you can walk away from it should you desire to strongly enough. You NEED medical AND psychological assistance to overcome a true chemical addiction.
I have had a marijuana habit for about 20 years and will never look back because I’ve found something I enjoy in moderation that hasn’t caused any adverse effects at all. I’m a 47 year old lacto-vegetarian in a healthy weight range and have always enjoyed excellent health. I noticed most of these posts are by people in relationships with smokers and I think you are simply misinterpreting their behavior as being a result of the drug. So, what I’ve decided to do is rebuke the categories on this site to show you how meaningless they are:
1. Have tried to quit smoking pot and failed: You miss the euphoria.
2. Lack of motivation: Yes, you are less motivated to keep your crappy job, stay in your miserable relationship …
3. Depression: If you feel depressed when you are high, you need counseling because it has the opposite effect on healthy people.
4. Anxiety: You are uncomfortable in your surroundings and/or in your own skin. See “depression”.
5. Anger: See “depression”.
6. Relationship problems: See “lack of motivation”.
6. Shifting priorities: See “lack of motivation”.
7. Any excuse: See “lack of motivation”.
8. Defensiveness: See “tried … and failed”. How can you possibly explain the euphoria to a non-smoker?
9. I NEED WEED: All of the above!
See how easy that was?
Since marijuana is so widespread and so many people smoke it, this site and those like it promoting marijuana addiction treatment programs are just a means to make money off of something popular. Um, sort of like a pot dealer!
I wonder if they’ll let me post this ….
No, the typos on my previous post aren’t because I was high while I was typing it! I’ve been sober for about 10 days, just taking a little cleansing break. I just had to post it (and did it quickly because it’s so late) because these sites are so IGNORANT!
Of course ‘we’ll’ let you post this and also thank you for the time you took to make such a detailed comment. Let say this addiction to mood altering substances is real. Read up on the science of addiction and what it does to the brain. THC the active ingredient in weed is a mood altering substance and poison. Read up on the chemicals and carcinogens produced by smoking weed, much worse than cigarettes. Your comment:
“Since marijuana is so widespread and so many people smoke it, this site and those like it promoting marijuana addiction treatment programs are just a means to make money off of something popular. Um, sort of like a pot dealer!”
Dang those cancer treatment centers making money off of something so popular, smoking cigarettes. Just because it is legal does not mean it is smart or healthy.
Also looking at the title – of this blog Addiction Treatment Challenges. It is written for people with addiction, for them smoking pot is not an option. Not all who drink have alcohol addiction, not all who drug have drug addiction. We are striving to help and inform about addiction.
In response to cookie. Your opinion is probably just a little biased seeing as you have a 20 year marijuana ‘habit.
sorry everyone, i have to say something. marijuana is the safest stuff you can smoke, it has no pests, and its one of the cleanest things you can smoke, saying its worse than cigarettes, which has hundreds of chemicals, including rat carcinogens, is totally ignorant, and as for the addiction, most people who quit can do it in a day, without a second thought, and it looks like most of you guys have a problem with another kind of addiction, if you want to blame it on pot while your doing coke and heroin and shit, go ahead, but make sure you tell everyone that.
Hi, all. Long post, but worth the read, I think:
Suffering from true clinical depression and anxiety is extremely difficult. It rendered me unable to feel calm and relaxed, and unable to FEEL ENJOYMENT– even from things that are normally enjoyable like sex or films or accomplishing a goal. Beginning in my teens at my parents’ urging, and continuing throughout my twenties, I met weekly with a therapist , sometimes with support/therapy groups, and regularly with psychiatrists as well.
For 14 years I did that, taking medications as directed– never using illegal drugs, believing it was simply not an option as I wanted to be as healthy as possible (and I believed using something like marijuana would NOT be part of my path to health and happiness). 14 years later, I have worked with 3 different therapists, 7 psychiatrists, and more than 10 different medications as directed (some in combination with each other). I have also engaged in various forms of exercise, group therapy, social organizations, healthy eating, meditation, aromatherapy, you name it. I was determined and earned a respectable university education, have maintained healthy relationships, and currently have held a stable professional job for 5 years.
However, the depression worsened over the past few years and pharmaceuticals and therapy and everything else just were not helping enough to keep me afloat. Finally, after reading stories of cannabis helping with anxiety, depression, and insomnia, I decided to try it at age 30. I felt more comfortable doing it legally, so I went to a doctor, got a recommendation, went to a dispensary, and begin sampling strains of cannabis. I do not like the harshness of smoking, nor do I want the carcinogens/tars that come with combustion, so I vaporize. Now I have been vaporizing cannabis daily (small amounts only, not getting ‘wasted’ or anything) for a few months.
After a few months, I don’t claim the cannabis is a 100% cure, but I can say with conviction that it helps more than anything else I have ever tried. I do not take any meds now aside from the medical cannabis. Occasional Benadryl is about it, since cannabis doesn’t help much with springtime allergies
My family, friend, work, and romantic relationships all feel more connected and satisfying. My girlfriend is supportive and observes that I am happier, more engaged in life, and closer with her. My relationship with myself is more fulfilling, too, as I am more in touch with how I feel. I feel more motivated to do things that matter, and less motivated to do things that don’t matter. Do get a little bit high every day? Yes. And do I want to stop?… Are you kidding? Why would I? My experience of life is so much improved with this medication. I have become more aware that some aspects of my life are not working for me, I am not happy with them, though I have been holding onto those parts of my life for a long time. So pot definitely makes me less motivated to put energy into those things in life that are either not working for me or really aren’t that important. But it also ‘highlights’ the things in life that ARE good or enjoyable or important to me, and I find myself pursuing and maintaining those things more passionately and with much more enjoyment.
For me, I don’t care if someone thinks I have an addiction. I don’t care if mental health professionals have establish general guidelines for diagnosing an addiction. Guidelines are just that. Now, let’s just look at the facts in a very very simple way– I have tried a LOT of things to make my life less of a miserable struggle over the past 14 years, and with pot my life is more enjoyble and fulfilling with this medication than without. The pros, in my case, clearly outweigh the cons. How could that be a bad thing for me?
Look, my case is not the case for most people. I’m not an advocate of everyone getting high on pot every day. I have many years of academic and independent research experience with psychotherapy, depression, anxiety, and addiction. But from personal experience, I would advise others to do the following: If you’re unhappy, put the marijuana away and first try– I mean for years– to get better. Evaluate and address your relationships, your “ways of thinking.” GO TO COUNSELING. Try medications if professionals agree it’s a good option to combine with psychotherapy. If the cause of your unhappiness is the type of job you’re in, the type of relationship you’re in, the way you negatively evaluate situations, a neurotransmitter imbalance, holding onto grudges or hurts, etc. then EXPLORE AND ADDRESS THOSE THINGS. In many cases, life can get much much better if you fix those areas of your life.
I have been smoking Marijuana daily for almost 8 years. I started when I was 14 years old. I am currently 22. I started smoking because all my friends where doing it; it was the “cool thing” to do. Prior to smoking I was always on the honor roll I was the class president, and captain of the girl’s varsity track and cross-country team. As I began smoking more and more I started to notice that my grades starting slipping and I was never on time for class. I started to bunk school and got into a lot more trouble. My parents did not know what to think of me. I would never go home I was always late for curfew. I remember at one point I did not go home for a week. I was starting to think about dropping out of school but then I got pregnant and decided to finish. My daughter will be 5 in just a few weeks. Five months ago I decided that enough was enough. I noticed that I started to have anxiety attacks, became depressed and I was really nausea. I began to have cold sweats and just felt really weak. I knew that I could not quit “cold turkey” so I started to look on the internet to figure out what I could do. I came across a website Maritox.com and it completely changed my life. I now have a great job, I have more energy to play with my daughter and I am going back to school. If I can give any advice to the people out there that struggle trying to quit on there own or trying to find a good job, it would be to check out Maritox. Thank you for listening to my story. I would like to wish best of luck to everyone.
I have a son who takes dagga daily. I do not agree with this. As far as I am concerned it is a health hazard. I have known of some people who have developed throat cancer after years of abuse. Maybe for some it works and other – it does not.
Can someone tell me that it really is not a health hazard????
I can’t believe all of this BS. I have been smoking weed everyday for the last year now. I smoked before that to, but I took a two month break before I started smoking again, and let me tell you I had no signs of addiction. Everything the government says about weed is a lie. How can they say that weed is more harmful than ciggarettes if ciggarettes have killed hundreds of thousands of people, and yet somehow weed has never caused a single death on this earth. People are so ignorant towards weed when the only people who are against it are the ones in the world who have never smoked it. And all the people who have wrote their stories saying they are addicted are fake.
Hi
A very close friend has an addiction to marijuana. How can I step in this personal issue?
Hi great article thanks for sharing. Mom has an addiction to marijuana. How can I help in this dilemma? I live in Poquonock Bridge.?
Frank
my personal opinion on weed is that i believe its not harmful 2 the body n will not kill u like others addictions but i do know from experience w/my husband who smokes everyday that when he dont have it he just lays on the couch n does nothing n the kids n i have 2 walk round the house like we r walkin on egg shells. it seems like he hates me when he dont have it n when he does have it he absolutly adores me n tells me he loves me all the time,so i hate weed cuz it does change ppl in a very bad way!
Too much smoking of cannabis kills your brain! It is approved by scientists. All things are good but in small portions.
I’m dating someone who’s addicted to marijuana, He goes to work that way and that’s the only way he seems to function daily, But when he don’t smoke it he’s extra stressed out , irritable and mean. Can a marijuana addiction be more important than your love interest? Sometimes it seems that way. Sometimes I think he’s mentally ill that he’s so head strong over smokin. That’s his girlfriend.
I have been smoking weed very frequently for over 2 year and after reading some of the comments above, I am definitely not all of a sudden an aggressive or irritable person, nor do I think of weed as THE main priority in life when I am sober. Yeah, I admit I have some of the “withdrawal” symptoms, day(s) after I do not smoke but it doesn’t kill me. I do “crave” weed, because I enjoy it a lot and why not? I am more relaxed, happy in general, more social, I am more passionate about music, food, IMO, does taste better haha, aka munchies… Is that so bad compared to the violent and annoying drunks. Also it is a fact that alcohol is more harmful to the body than marijuana. Another thing, there hasn’t been ONE person who died from straight up smoking lots of weed or “overdosing” on it. Wake up people, we are spending millions and millions putting people that are just trying to smoke an herb that grows on the ground, and has been used by all sorts of different cultures and people for all of history, in jail, and going through all these court hearings and whatnot. The government doesn’t mind spending money for that although we are in a recession, and could be using that money for much more reasonable things? Idiots. Another thing that you may argue: clearly, burning and inhaling anything won’t have the best affect on the lungs and can eventually cause cancer, but you can get cancer just from standing outside… It seems to me society is trying to creating a false, negative image for weed. You decide.
My very recent ex is a chronic pot smoker and I believe drinks in excess as well. We love each other but he loves his addiction more. Throughout our relationship I did not judge. I tried to offer an ear when he was anxious. I found that whenever reality became too much alcohol and drugs would be his release. The thing that was most hurtful to me was his ability to snap and disengage when things became to complicated for him, always placing the blame on someone else. If I had a dime for every time I heard “I don’t know why” when I asked why he felt lost in life or that he hadn’t gotten to where he wanted to in life. He has such a beautiful soul and I think that I had hoped that by opening up my heart and being supportive that that would inspire change. I was foolish to think that. His denial was greater than his love. Perhaps, I’m writing this more as a cathartic experience for myself. It makes me so sad that my love wasn’t enough but I know that it isn’t my job to save him if he doesn’t want to be saved.
Take a look at the movie- The Union: The Business of Getting High, by Brett Harvey.
It will explain all the bullshit the government is trying to make you believe.
I’m just going to say that the people who are commenting on here saying that they are pot smokers and it’s not a health issue, etc. are pathetic. You are making an excuse to smoke an illegal substance because “it makes you feel good.” If you really can’t go through life without being high, then I truly feel sorry for you, regardless of supposed health facts. I can’t believe there are so many people in the world who take the simple fact of life for granted.
Every person decides what’s right and what’s wrong for him. But if someone genuinely want to overcome an addiction (whatever it may be), it is always very much needed that his family members and friends should give the best support to him. Without that support it is very difficult and often impossible for the person to come out of that.
I just found out three days ago that I suffer from alcoholism and that I have an addiction to marijuana. I’m 18 and somehow graduated highschool early and I’ve been smoking and drinking for two years now. I thought it was just a self control issue, is there anything chemically addictive about marijuana or is just a psychological issue, I know alcoholism is a chemical issue but it seems that both of those substances must be correlated in some way. Any thoughts? I’m trying to figure things out now, cuz…ya know, I’ve got my entire life in front of me.
Your information is noy correct regarding canabis addiction. The
new DSM-5(bible of psych) will list all the s/sx of physical withdraw, as well as psychcological signs. My son had all the classic physical symptoms of withdraw. He was shakey, rapid heart beat, anxious, full of sweat, to name a few. This was from heavy use which I know since his test came out positive after a month of drug treatment; It attaches to the fatty tissues.his drug ruined our life, and changed a loving and kind son who was a honor student, to an angry and unmotivated punk. And to think that the medical pot is stronger, the potheads are so ignorant and disgusting! I hate the look of the dialated pupil stupid stoner face so much!!!!!
Karen –
If your son had all of those symptoms he is probably doing cocaine or heroin. You know that drugs such as those, which are water-soluble only stay in a person’s system for a few days. It would be very easy for him to beat a drug test for those types if substances.
I am a medical cannabis patient. I have been for several years. I have ALWAYS been on the honor role. I have ALWAYS been on the Dean’s List. I am a member of Phi Theta Kappa. I am a Legal Assistant. I am in law school. I do not smoke cigarettes. I do not drink alcohol. I do not do recreational drugs. I do not take pharmaceutical (HARMFUL) drugs.
The government exaggerates the potency of cannabis of earlier years, as well as the potency of cannabis of today.
By the way, the human body has cannabinoid receptors – designed and activated by medicating on cannabis.
The National Cancer Institute, The American Medical Association and numerous other scientific associations support the use of cannabis as medicine.
IF the government would ACTUALLY approve funding for cannabis, perhaps they’d take that into account. But, they won’t. Gee, Big-Pharma funds politicians pockets.
Medical Marijuana is legal in 14 + states; the voters of the United States are in favor of medical marijuana. You should get used to it.
If your son is smoking a habit-forming – NOT ADDICTIVE – substance, called cannabis – good for him. You should hope he isn’t smoking cigarettes, drunk driving, or shooting up. If people would quit lying to children about cannabis, perhaps they would believe their parents when they say that hard drugs are bad for them? If your son is now an unmotivated punk, who is to blame? Not cannabis. Millions of people – both good and bad indulge in cannabis, yet ignorant people STILL blame it on the herb. It is a plant, for Christ’s sake. While you or your husband/brother/sister/mother, etc. has a bad day and sits back with a beer or a glass or wine and criticizes someone who chooses an herb and types out a message with such obvious ignorance, immaturity and hatred in your heart, I just shake my head… Why can’t you see the facts that professional health organizations world-wide have? In most of the stories above, people mention other substances besides cannabis … My _______ was smoking weed and drinking – and popping pills, etc. EXACTLY, but hey blame it on the weed. Reefer Madness.
i got to say i smoke marijuana and have done so for than half of my life. I hold a full time job im a father and i smoke marijuana. in fact let me clarify what ive done. started smoking marijuana at the age of 12 when i turned 14 i helped start a magazine company called sprawl magazine. When i was 15 i became an internationally published journalist and traveled california teaching high school kids to channel problems in their personal life into something positive like music or the fine art of journalism. when i was 16 i taught mentally handicapable teens how to play musical instruments. skipping to present time i do medical research with people who are at stage 4 cancer, have parkinsons, m.s., even sever head trama. All while smokig marijuana. o and for the they will find any excuse to smoke marijuana, take a look at the general public or even better a look inside your own home. Alcohol, Zanex, Advil, Tobacco, Cough Syrup, etc. most of the population of this earth are on some kind of pharmaceutical preventative medicine or consume tobacco or alcohol. All of which are actually clinically documented to cause all of the above and then some. Why don’t you people do your selves a favor and stop blaming marijuana for your problems. It because of people like you that made it so hard for many of my patients to get their medicine and turned from recovering to terminal. We all agree its not ok for a child who is still developing mentally to smoke marijuana. But this plant is the least harmful thing on this planet!
Tamara – I can not believe your comments they are so typical of a self-centered person that can only compare their own experiences to others. That’s just great that you are able to handle your pot smoking, congratulations, but come on now with all the credentials you listed you must be smarter than that!? The point here is that marijuana is not addictive for everyone, just like alcohol is not addictive to everyone that drinks. No one here is suggesting that all marijuana users are the same – people are simply saying that they have either experienced their own addiction first hand or that they are dealing/living with an addict – which is a really tough spot to be in. Most of the people here are not even commenting on legalizing or not, they are simply looking for help. How can such a smart person like you be so judgmental like that, perhaps you have lost perspective on your own “need” for marijuana that you become so defensive when other people talk about their issues with it… Shame on all of you pot smokers that don’t support your peers that realize they have a problem and want to quit. How selfish, how typical.
i have to say it is so sad with all the command im so lost i have a boyfriend we have 3 kids i am so confuse don’t know what to do all the symptom that you guys mention i have with my boyfriend mind never appricat anyting like you give all you love and never enough for them. get mad about every little thing. i love this guy i don’t know what to do the idea of me living him sceard me to dead. i know he does love me but the pot the one that is been controlling him pleass help me give me advice on what to do. the idea of confronting him he always said he can stop anytime he want but reading all the commoand i don’t know. he never sees it as a problem.
So if none of you potsmokers are addicts, then why are you wasting your time angrily defending yourselves on an ADDICTION HELP website?
People that think they are addicted or have problems when they’re high are already fucked up in the head. Don’t blame your problems on non-addictive substances.
Take the pot away and the symptons persist. The common denominator is the person, not the pot. You just do not want to admit to yourselves what the true problem is. STOP placing blame – find and solve the problem!
i have been smoking for 3 years i have quit 2 times but it keeps coming around and you jus give into peer pressure. i have quit alot of times but i use it every other day to fall asleep i used to have alot of problems with my family i got locked up for the way pot makes you act. its just \peoples choices next time ill quit for good.
I am a 16 year old high school student. I first started smoking when I was 13. But not until I was 15 did I start using on a regular basis.This started in late November of 2011. Since then the longest I have gone without the drug is 10days. I am writing because I need some input from non biased outsiders. Since my use began I have grown increasingly quiet and Passive. I have a decent amount of friends. But yet only one or two that I really consider friends. I feel like my shyness must have something to do with my use but I feel fear in quitting because, since I have started smoking my grades have risen(2.33to3.17) zero suspensions compared to 2 before my use. I feel just like a fly on the wall.(I just sit back and observe life as it passes me by. I don’t wish to quit because as of now the positives have outweighed the negatives. SO PLEASE I am seeking all advice or feedback. Thankyou for you time and consideration
James,
It’s possible your shyness is a result of pot smoking – but not necessarily. During adolescence, your personality often changes and evolves, and this might be what’s happening to you. Also, periods of social withdrawal and general unhappiness are fairly common in people your age.
You seem to have a pretty good read on the advantages/disadvantages in your particular case, so I doubt you are addicted. But you seem unhappy about your increasing detachment from life, and are wondering if pot is the cause.
I can think of a few things to try:
Give up pot for at least a month – maybe longer – get all the THC out of your system.
You might have withdrawal symptoms for the first few days. If they’re so severe that you start using again – you probably ARE addicted – get help!
Monitor both your school performance, your sense of detachment, and your overall sense of happiness during this period. If you go back to the way you were before starting regular use – it’s probably the pot.
At this point, ask yourself which way your life is better, and act accordingly.
Other things to try:
- read up on both effective study habits and improving social skills. You may just need a little coaching in those areas, and can learn to to be more effective at both – without drugs
- talk to someone whose advice you trust (parent, teacher, clergyman, or a really sensible friend your own age), and listen to what they suggest.
- if you’re really worried or unhappy, read up on depression, anxiety, and ADD/ADHD, or anything else that seems relevant. If you think you might be suffering from any of these, see a mental health professional (your school could probably steer you in the right direction)
Hope this helps – good luck!
Marijuana is addictive or non addictive?
The end of the discussion: THE STRENGTH PEOPLE! Everybody says that smokes marijuana but the marijuana ones are smoking are not even close the the buds others are smoking. High grade marijuana is like a crack that doesn´t corrode your body in 2 or 5 years. You smoke more, and more, and more…the good stuff make us feel happy, euphoric. The problem is that with euphoria high THC level brings psychotic like symptoms. You become more and more stressed and anxious and when you smoke you feel happy and than you relax. After the effects you are more stressed, irritated and more confuse than you were before. This drug plays tricks with the human mind.
Hi everyone – Merry Christmas.
I don’t think I’ve ever commented on a website/blog such as this… but I have read every comment here/above (however old they may be), and just feel compelled to reach out.
I have been in a two and a half year relationship with a brilliant man who I love just about more than anything. ever. Over the course of our relationship, his marijuana use has fluctuated. He stopped for a while and said he never felt better, then slowly, over time, his affinity for, and frequency of smoking has grown. We recently moved to a new city and have been under a tremendous amount of pressure and stress. He smokes every day now, usually several times a day. And we fight, every day now, several times a day. He is hyper-intelligent… the kind of person who reads something and remembers it forever. Impossible to argue with because he is so smart. We often get in arguments about his pot-smoking, but he always has a case study to site or a reason why my complaints about his possible addition or constant use are unjustified and unsupported. Normally, he is very attentive and supportive and loving, but he is increasingly detached and it’s hard for me to understand (and even process). Ugh, I feel like such a nag, but I also believe he is capable of accomplishing incredible things, and see him slipping into complacency , losing all motivation. I also feel so alone. He has been my best friend for three years, and suddenly it seems as though he is my adversary. Often when we fight I will say terrible things out of my frustration in his emotional inaccessibility…. then take them back later when I’m calm and he seems back to normal.
He recently became friends with a guy and I was thrilled for him to have a friend an outlet, but I soon realized they were just smoking weed together, all the time. The past week, he stayed over there every night really late. Came home very high… and was so rude and irritable in the morning. I know its just week as he has openly strong aversion to other drugs. He has been so mean lately, so moody, and blames me for everything that happens, every problem and every fight we’re in. I can definitely be difficult, but this has reached an unhealthy climate.
It is Christmas, and instead of coming home with me, to my family’s house, he stayed at our house in LA, to be alone. It upset me so deeply (for both selfish reasons, and because I hated to think of him being alone today).
Im writing here because, I am at a loss for what to do. While trying to remain unbiased, I can’t help but think his (non-chemical)(habitual only?) additional to the weed, is a root of much of the problem. Is that naive? Does it have nothing to do with it? My heart sank when I read all these stories above of people who seem to have felt the exact same way I feel right now.
I don’t want to apply blame to the wrong thing. I don’t want to make the wrong decision. Do I just give up on him and leave? Our lives our so intertwined, I love him so much…. he says all the time how much he loves me and wants to work this out. I know he is in there somewhere and I see glimpses of it, but I also don’t want to lose myself to an unhealthy relationship, or similarly, to trying to “save” someone who is, for all intents and purposes, an addict.
Please offer any advice, if you believe you can provide me with anything helpful or any kind of support. I feel heartbroken and consumed ….
Brea ;
You are descibing a serious and deteriorating situation. The most important concern about someones continued use of mood and mind altering chemicals , in trying to determine if you are dealing with mere abuse or potential addiction (whether that be alcohol, weed, cocaine or anything else) is whether or not the use of the drug is having a pronounced negative impact on the users life and if so, is the user continuing to use in spite of that fact. If someones life is being affected negatively and the person conitinues to use in spite of that fact then there is a problem. That is pretty much the circumstances which you have described. Of course the user is usually the last one to admitt that they are experiencing life problems ( with relationships , career etc etc ) as the the result of their use of the the drug and this is called being in denial. They usually say that they could stop if they wanted to , but they don’t want to. If this situation persists and the impact is becoming more and more negative and pronounced then often it is necessary to conduct an intervention , which is a process facilitated by an expert which is designed to break through the users denial. Cases in which the user is very intelligent can be difficult but that should not deter those who care about the individual to follow through anyway. I have simlified this circumstance a great deal. If you would like help or a referral to an interventionist please let me know
I am a Canadian mother. My son who will be 30 in May has been using pot since he was probably 12 or 13. I’m not sure exactly when as he has always kept it a secret from me. He knows I don’t like it!! He has a 12yr. old son with one woman and 2 girls ages 9 & 2 with another. The second mom is a saint in my eyes!!! I think she should leave as all she ever gets is negativity from him!! He’s asked for money AGAIN as he’s behind in his bill! I want to help him but am afraid it is the wrong thing to do! I feel he needs an intervention or he is going to loose everything!! He has such a beautiful family and treats them like crap!! What should I do? I have another son that NEVER asks for anything and shows respect and love for his parents!! NEED ADVICE!! tufmom
Desperately seeking help for my son who is addicted to cannabis and showing real aggression towards his siblings and father.
Any help will greatly appreciated.
Regards,
Peace Kanyike
I smoke weed myself but like to think i have a level head.
i am a mechanical engineer and hold a qualification
in computer engineering plus i also stated my own business.
ive smoked regular since i was 12 grew up on a dodg’y
council estate, parents slit,mum dident giv a ****
blah blah…{no pity nessasary}
im just realy glad i could see the points to tackle
as soon as i was old enough to act on my own.
a lot of the above symptoms are true in most cases,
however the minority of which can be riddled down to circumstance & or environment .
i found its mostly social & environment based .
with the addition of weak self discipline. {a kind a laziness}
& the need of something to spark a change that …
benefits / exite’s / or enriches them, or there IMITATE lives !
if you want to do something you will have to get
creative in order to get through the “there’s nothing wrong with me” bit
pressure is a no no.
have you ever thrown petrol on a fire?
its all in the state of mind
and as minds are a little bit of a state once dependent!
is mostly up to YOU, otherwise what are you reading this for?
looking back the signs are obvious but while in the situation
your judgement may not be as decisive as normal.
& if you do smoke weed?
your better than a skag ed but
“use weed dont let it use you”
it can either be a parasite or a positive!
ile let you think about that.
AZBOLIVE
People DONT be stupid . You CAN NOT become addicted to weed . I am a weed smoker myself and I know . TRUE its hard to stop smoking it , at first , but thats only if your body is use to it . Just like if you was to stop eating meat , it’ll be HARD due to the fact that your body is USE to eating meat . I know its totally diffrent , but all in the same . Weed is a herb , a plant , not a drug .
Only the weed heads think weed abuse is okay. What and how have society benefited from weed abusers? They are no good to themselves, family, friends or society. Weed addicts become psychotic over time. Period. There is absolutely nothing to gain from smoking weed. I should know, I was a weed addict for over 10years. Lost my relationships, job etc to weed.
I’m so glad I have kicked the habit goodbye. My life is so much better and I feel so ashamed I no longer use the drug. Say no to drugs.
Partners of weed addicts are the one’s I pity. Someone who is high is the most difficult, unmotivated, paranoid person you can be stuck with. If they choose not to seek help immediately or keep promising to quit and never do, chances are, they never will, at least not without seeking help. Run as fast and as far away from them as you possibly can. They will end up destroying your life for sure and make you miserable whilst at it.
Does a crack head think crack is bad for them? No, same goes for a weed head.
Just my 2 cent. Best wishes to all those that are willing to quit. You will find the quality of your life will improve once you stop. Let’s just hope the damage to your brain cells isn’t too late to be reversed. I should know too, because I’m presently living with a weed addict who sees nothing wrong with the fact that he has lost his job, his family, and motivation to do anything positive with his life! And that’s not all, he is irritable, stupid, confused, and can’t even affors to pay his bills. Weed addiction is real and over time with constant abuse, causes mentall illness, paranoia, etc oh let’s not forget, lung cancer!
marijuana is very addictive…some people get addicted by cigarretes because they mix marijuana and cigarretes making it hard for them to quit
Whew, the debate rages on!
I have a husband who is a daily marijuana smoker and definitely has some of the symptoms of “addiction” as well as personality issues that many people have observed in their loved ones, such as: lack of motivation or apathy–almost what I would call a constant low level depression– moody-ness, social avoidance, and avoidance of problems, and a rather negative outlook on life, etc. Other than that, the guy works hard, and is a great dad, and mostly a good husband. My brother, who has been a chronic marijuana user since high-school, has similar, if more extreme “symptoms/personality issues/etc.” I could list other people in my life who are users that closely follow this pattern. However– I am not certain that marijuana is to blame, but am pretty darn sure that it is DEFINITELY EXACERBATING problems that already exist. I myself, am not a chronic marijuana smoker, nor have I been addicted to any other substance, and yet I had pretty troubled teen years. I dropped out of high school and have struggled painfully as an adult. Turns out I have ADHD. My brother started pot smoking as a teen, and graduated. My husband smoked pot through college and has a degree in cellular biology. While I do not think that chronic pot smoking has no effect on some ones life, I do not think it is the ’cause’ of peoples problems. I do however strongly believe that it is not helping some people.
I strongly disagree with the philosophy that says the drug is the problem. Yes, an addiction is definitely a problem, but often people are self-medicating for underlying disorders or psychological issues, that will still be there when the use/abuse/addiction stops.
Everybody needs to remember, that drugs affect different people differently! I fall asleep on allergy med’s that are labeled “Non-drowsy” I take a small amount of ADHD medication because I am very sensitive to many drugs, especially stimulants.
I have compassion for people who are watching there love ones engage in harmful, or at the very least un-productive activities , but I wish people would take the rhetoric down a notch (on both sides!) and see the forest through the trees. The marijuana smoking might be a SYMPTOM of someone trying to self medicate for other mental health issues. Anyway, tough to tell which came first, but my bet is on the the mental health issues coming first. Here is an unfortunate anecdote from my own life: one of my past boyfriends was a recovered heroin addict when we met, and became “un-recovered” while we were together. It was harrowing, not just annoying, but HARROWING and scary. I thought he was going to die or kill someone! It became plain as the nose on his face after I escaped the relationship, that he had a personality disorder that was there from the start. In any case, I would choose to deal with a chronic marijuana user any darn day of the week over that– simply not in the same category!
I can’t believe all of this BS. I have been smoking weed everyday for the last year now. I smoked before that to, but I took a two month break before I started smoking again, and let me tell you I had no signs of addiction. Everything the government says about weed is a lie. How can they say that weed is more harmful than ciggarettes if ciggarettes have killed hundreds of thousands of people, and yet somehow weed has never caused a single death on this earth. People are so ignorant towards weed when the only people who are against it are the ones in the world who have never smoked it. And all the people who have wrote their stories saying they are addicted are fake.