Cannabis is an Asian import, first cultivated in Central and South Asia, and common throughout Japan and China as an incredibly sturdy fabric. Cannabis, in the form of hemp, can be traced back up to 10,000 years – in other words, we have an incredibly long history with this plant. Yet its psychoactive properties were not well recorded until much later.
Today, it is estimated that about 147 million people – 2.5% of the world population – consume cannabis. Compare this to the 0.2% of the world population that consumes opioids, and it is clear that while marijuana may be overshadowed by the tragic overdose deaths caused by opioids at home, it’s a greater global threat. In comparison to both cocaine and opioid abuse, cannabis abuse has grown much faster, and talks of legalization bring up fears that the dangers of cannabis are being understated.
To avoid fearmongering and the spread of disinformation, it is important to set the record straight on what marijuana is and what it is not – how it can be dangerous, and why something as drastic as legalization has be considered very carefully, if at all.
What Marijuana Is and Is Not
Marijuana is psychoactive cannabis, a drug made from the cultivated leaves of the Cannabis sativa plant. The psychoactive ingredient in cannabis is THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol. While THC is the most common of its kind, there are other similar cannabinoids – drugs that mimic the effects of cannabis in the human brain, often synthetic in nature.
Marijuana refers to the plant-based drug circulated either as oil, in edible form, or for consumption through smoking. Out of all illicit drugs on the planet, cannabis is by far the most cultivated and trafficked drug in the world.
Marijuana is not a panacea or a wonder drug for cancer patients and sick children. Cannabinoids – often in the form of inert cannabis oil – show potential as therapeutic drug in combatting nausea and vomiting, especially in the late stages of terminal illnesses such as cancer and AIDS. Cannabinoids are currently available as a prescription drug and have been for years. However, while the isolated compound (THC) shows promise in regard to the treatment of select symptoms, the dangers of marijuana use – specifically recreational marijuana use – remain considerable.
Marijuana is addictive. While research has long suggested the possibility that marijuana does not produce physical dependence like other illicit drugs and prescription medication, more and more evidence is piling up pointing towards the fact that marijuana can result in physical dependence, both in animal and human studies.
Physical dependence is defined as a condition created by regular drug use, leading to symptoms of tolerance (requiring higher doses of a drug to achieve the same effect) and withdrawal (unpleasantness and sickness in response to stopping drug use). Physical dependence can lead to intense and powerful cravings in the absence of a high, and can massively impair a person’s ability to function, causing them to miss out on important responsibilities.
Examples of extreme cases of cannabis dependence involve losing track of time and substantially disrupting daily activities to look for or consume marijuana. Withdrawal symptoms involve mood swings, irritability, and appetite problems. Even among heavy users, the symptoms of a cannabis withdrawal are not particularly severe compared to other addictive drugs. However, their presence indicates that marijuana addiction exists and poses a threat to any who use the drug.
Realities of a Marijuana Addiction
Prolonged and excessive use of marijuana – recreationally or otherwise – can lead to a reliance on the drug to maintain a sense of normalcy and mood control. What might have started as a way to calm down after a hectic day or take the edge off a stressful situation can soon become the only way to ever be calm or maintain a sense of cool.
Long-term use comes with other dangers, including impairment of the brain’s cognitive functions (eating into a person’s ability to calculate risk, make decisions, process and integrate information, and retain memories). In mental health patients with symptoms of schizophrenia or psychosis, marijuana use can exacerbate the issue. Heavy smoking also leads to throat and lung problems, including bronchitis, lung inflammation, and more.
Marijuana as Prescription Medication
Even as a form of medication, cannabinoids are not to be taken during pregnancies, and just like any other addictive drug, cannabis use needs to be considered carefully rather than taken as a light mood-altering drug, or as a quick stress-management solution.
Marijuana has been legalized in one form or another in more than half of all US states, and other states are taking steps to consider the drug as a form of medicine, with considered uses including appetite stimulation, antidepressants, anti-spasmodic and anticonvulsant medicine, and glaucoma.
The future will involve cannabis as a form of medication – the question is how best to regulate it, and how best to educate people on the various dangers of irresponsible drug use – including cannabis.
The Most Harmful Myth
Of all myths – including the myth that marijuana is completely non-addictive – the by far most dangerous assumption one could make about this plant is that it is harmless. For one, marijuana today is completely different from marijuana fifty years ago, and utterly unrecognizable in comparison to the stuff smoked and eaten in antiquity.
In fact, the THC concentration of cannabis has shot up significantly since the drug has been getting more popular, due to specialized and fine-tuned laboratories working hard to create strong pot. From just around 3% in the 1980s, cannabis today has a THC concentration of roughly 12-13%.
Marijuana today is potentially addictive, can be harmful to the brain – especially the developing brain of a young adult under 25 – and while it may even prove useful to the field of medicine someday, it is still a substance to be approached with caution.
Treating Marijuana Addiction
Like other addictions, a marijuana use disorder can be treated effectively. Despite mild withdrawal symptoms, cannabis can still trigger cravings and is often a major coping mechanism for many people dealing with stressful private lives or work environments. A key part of treating the addiction is helping them find other ways to keep their stress in check. If you need help with cannabis addiction or any other form of addictions, feel free to contact us for the help you need.