Marijuana addiction: treatment, symptoms, cause, prevention, risks, complications, long-term outlook

Marijuana is a green, brown, or gray mixture of dried, shredded leaves, stems, seeds, and flowers of the hemp plant.

Marijuana is a mind-altering drug. The main active ingredient in marijuana is a chemical called THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). Marijuana’s effects on the user depend on it’s strength or potency, which is related to the amount of THC it contains.

Marijuana is also called pot, herb, weed, grass, boom, Mary Jane, gangster, and chronic. Sinsemilla, hashish, and hash oil are stronger forms of marijuana.

Marijuana is usually smoked as a cigarette in a pipe or a bong. A marijuana cigarette is often called a joint or a nail. Marijuana has appeared in cigar wrappers called blunts. Blunts often contain marijuana and other drugs such as crack cocaine.

The short term effects of marijuana usually appear immediately after a single dose. Some common short-term effects include:

problems with memory and learning
distorted sights, sounds, time, touch
trouble with thinking and problem solving
loss of motor coordination
increased heart rate.

Long Term Effects of Marijuana Use

The user may develop a tolerance to marijuana's high and may need to use more marijuana to experience the same level of pleasure. Long-term marijuana users may develop the same kinds of breathing problems that cigarette smokers have: coughing and wheezing. Marijuana users tend to have more chest colds than nonusers and are also at greater risk of getting lung infections like pneumonia.

How can you tell if someone has been using Marijuana?

If someone is high on marijuana, he or she might:

seem dizzy and have trouble walking;
seem silly and giggly for no reason;
have very red, bloodshot eyes; and
have a hard time remembering things that just happened.

When the early effects fade, over a few hours, the user can become very sleepy.

How long does marijuana stay in the user's body?

THC in marijuana is rapidly absorbed by fatty tissues in various organs. Generally, traces of THC can be detected by standard urine testing methods several days after a smoking session. In chronic heavy users, traces can sometimes be detected for weeks after they have stopped using marijuana.

Marijuana Addiction and Pregnancy

The exact effect of marijuana on babies born to mothers who smoke marijuana is unknown. Most doctors will advise a pregnant mother not to smoke marijuana.

Can Marijuana Addiction be Treated?

Currently, there are no medications for treating marijuana addiction. Treatment programs focus on counseling and group support systems.

Marijuana Hotlines and Support Groups