Marijuana Addiction - Is it For Real?

Marijuana addiction is a subject that got off to quite a bad start. Propaganda from the US government decades ago, when marijuana was relatively rare and most Americans had not tried it (unlike the current state of affairs, in which most Americans have taken a puff, and yes, mostly all of them did inhale), didn't really set the course for intelligent discussion based on - what do you call it? - oh yea,  the facts! Marijuana was akin to the devils weed, and all sorts of nasty tactics were used to demonize it, including strange racist propaganda, oddly enough.

Growing up taking DARE classes - (Drug Abuse Resistance Eduction) - most American kids are taught that marijuana is a drug you can addicted to, like other addictive drugs. Reality kicks in a few years later, when kids try marijuana for the first time, and by and large, they get high, and life goes on, and no one suffers from any sort of addiction nightmare.

But life is strange, and it's not as black and white as a DARE pamphlet, nor is it as free-going as a Cypress Hill song on the benefits of regularly "smoking up." There's a small percentage of regular smokers who freely note that they are addicted to marijuana. This is not something that even others who smoke regularly want to hear.  It's somewhat of a threat to the large majority of smokers who want marijuana use to become un-demonized, perhaps even legalized and regulated, when some users report that they are indeed marijuana addicts, tried and true.

What does it  mean for them when they say they are addicted?

The type of behavior noted as common includes a generalized feeling of anxiety that is only taken away when the user resumes smoking. Insomnia - not being able to fall asleep - is also common. Crankiness, uneasiness, and a tendency to just be no fun to be around if an addict hasn't smoked is something reported by many users, and, perhaps even more by their loved ones who have to be around them. Users report going through cold sweat like they've contracted the flue upon quitting. Some people report losing their appetite and feeling depressed.

Oh, and I forgot to mention another biggy - a complete compulsion to go out and get some marijuana and get really high in order to feel better.

So while the press, the smoker community, and drug researchers debate the specifics of marijuana addiction, some users down in the trenches are reporting the real deal - it does happen to some of them, and when it does, it is no fun.

If you are suffering from marijuana addiction, seek the treatment you deserve. Either on your own but with a firm conviction, sealed with a support group of family, friends, and other users who want to quit. Other options, if affordable, include going to an onsite marijuana addiction treatment facility. Help is available for those who are committed to quitting their marijuana addiction.