Effects of Marijuana Use: How Weed Affects Your Mind and Body

Attempting to overcome the phenomenon of tolerance with increasingly large amounts of marijuana may raise a person’s risk of experiencing negative effects, as well as compounding the intensity of said drug effects. Marijuana has THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol as the primary psychoactive ingredient. It triggers receptors in your brain called endocannabinoid receptors. When you use addictive drugs like marijuana a lot, you can change circuits in your brain.

Whether you use it recreationally or medically,  it can affect how your anesthesia works. If your doctor is aware of your use, they’ll be able to take the steps to make sure you stay sedated, or “asleep,” for the entire surgery. People who use marijuana at least once a week, called chronic users, might need more anesthesia than others.

Graduate School of Addiction Studies

Marijuana may be considered “less harmful” due to the fact that there have been 0 marijuana-related overdoses ever reported, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Many people who use marijuana regularly notice that it boosts their appetite. They call this “the munchies.” Some research suggests that might help people with AIDS, cancer, or other illnesses regain weight. But using pot heavily, especially in your teen years, may leave more permanent effects.

• Do you keep using it even though bad things happen, like problems at work, school, or with friends and family?
• For frequent users, higher potency can increase the risk of marijuana addiction.
• If you smoke pot regularly, it can lead to coughing, wheezing, phlegm, and a higher risk of respiratory infections.
• As more and more states legalize the drug, the number of people who develop an addiction may also increase.
• You may not always know how potent your recreational marijuana might be.

So, it’s important to be especially aware of the signs of https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/marijuana-addiction-how-addictive-is-weed/. There are resources and treatment options available for those who are dealing with addiction. There are no medications approved to treat cannabis use disorder, but addiction psychiatrists will sometimes prescribe medications that can help alleviate withdrawal symptoms, including a lack of appetite and insomnia.

The drug of choice

Smoking marijuana delivers far more THC into the bloodstream than other forms of marijuana abuse. It’s short for cannabidiol, a substance found in both marijuana and hemp plants. CBD can be made into CBD oil and sold as pills, gels, creams, and other formulas.

It was only through talking to a friend that Julian realized he might have a problem. He had “thought that it was impossible to become addicted” to weed. But when he looked up the definition of cannabis use disorder online, he realized that he met almost all of the criteria. Nearly 6 percent of American teens and adults have cannabis use disorder. Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States, typically smoked as a hand-rolled cigarette (joint) or in a pipe or water pipe (bong). The drug is also smoked in what’s called a blunt—a cigar that’s been emptied of tobacco and refilled with a mixture of marijuana and tobacco.

Support for Me and My Family

Hadland, who works with teens and young adults struggling with marijuana addiction in his clinic, says there is a need for effective medications. The drug was studied in 29 adult men and women diagnosed with cannabis use disorder. They were smoking on average roughly 3 grams of marijuana a day, six days a week. Twelve-step groups can also help in recovery by offering support, accounting for one’s behavior, and motivating the individual to stop cannabis use.