“If I smoke marijuana habitually, does that mean I’ve addicted to smoking marijuana, too?”

This is a question a lot of smokers have. It’s clever in the assumptions and biases in conceals. Let’s look closer at what usually is meant by this question.

“If I smoke marijuana habitually…” usually means the smoker in question uses marijuana every day. This is often the case for many years. This would certainly qualify as a habit. But is a habit the same thing as addicted? Which leads us to the end of the question, where we ask if having a habit -

“…does this mean I’m addicted to it?”

If we replace the word “marijuana” with any other drug, such as cocaine, vicodin, meth, or even alcohol or tobacco – the answer is clearer, isn’t it? If someone you were friends with told you they had gotten in the habit of taking 3 vicodin pills every evening or else they couldn’t relax or fall asleep, there would probably be no need to qualify their situation by asking the question if this habit is an addiction. Many would automatically realize it’s become a drug addiction.

So why the difference with marijuana?

The different is likely in how we approach smoking or using weed (or cannabis, chronic, reefer – whatever street name for marijuana that you’d like to call it) and an inherent assumption that it’s not as addictive as other drugs.

If we establish that smoking or using any drug habitually is akin to addiction, which I believe it is, the question then shifts to what marijuana addiction looks like. Is marijuana addiction a dark black hole that we can paint on the same canvas as drug addiction in general? Or is the experience of being addicted to marijuana more benign?

I think few would look at the evidence and claim marijuana addiction is in the same class as addiction and certain other drugs, such as heroin and its demonstrably addictive properties, for example. But this does not mean that being addicted to marijuana is not without its consequences. Marijuana withdrawal is a very real experience, and some peoples weed addiction stories seems to rival that of the traditional drug addict.

If you’re reading this, looking for input on to whether or not you are “really” addicted to marijuana, try stopping and see what happens. This will likely answer your question. For tips and some good general guidelines, read our article titled How to Stop Smoking Weed.

A Question For Our Readers: Do you think your marijuana use can be considered more of a habit than addiction, or more of an addiction than a habit?

Leave us a comment below and let us know what you think and why.

Marijuana addiction research is a subject that has always fascinated me. In this article we will take a look at some research studies implicating a link between marijuana and addiction. Drug addiction research in general is liable for multiple interpretations, with groups putting their own spin on the findings. I suppose our spin here being that this site is aimed as a resource for marijuana addicts is to find evidence of addiction. With that boldly open disclaimer, let’s take a look at some research studies!

An interesting study on marijuana withdrawal at McLean Hospital in Boston shows some interesting results. Harvard trained psychiatrist Harrison Pope, who was one of the researchers involved in this study, says its results show “there is a clear (marijuana) withdrawal syndrome”. The study involved taking marijuana smokers who had smoked about 5,000 times in their lives and have them stop smoking (they were monitored via urine samples) and then observe the results. The withdrawal from not partaking in daily marijuana use primarily involved subjects becoming irritable, sleepless, and having little appetite. This lasted about 7 days and then subsided, the study said. Pope note that they did not “see craving even remotely to the degree you would with heroin or alcohol or cocaine,” but that some people in the study, having not been able to smoke marijuana, were “quite miserable.”

According to studies funded by NIH (National Institute of Health), long term marijuana usage can lead to marijuana addiction, which they rightly define as seeking marijuana compulsively in spite of understanding and experiencing its negative and harmful effects related to the users family, career, schooling, or recreational life. NIH also reports what seems to be the consensus in regards to the possibility of marijuana withdrawal, which is that it is a real problem for long term users when quitting pot, resulting in the user being irritable, experiencing insomnia, anxiety, a psychological craving for marijuana, and also losing their appetite. These marijuana withdrawal symptoms start about a day after stopping smoking, are worst on days two and three, and go away within a week or even two weeks after quitting.

A study on marijuana addiction by the Department of Psychiatry at John Hopkins found similar results in regards to people who have quit smoking marijuana. Researchers stated that the withdrawal experience of that from quitting marijuana is similar to that of cigarette withdrawal, an interesting parallel that many can relate to with cigarette addiction being entirely widespread in most countries of the world.

What are we to make of such researcher? I think a good logical case can be made that habitual usage of marijuana makes the body dependant on its continued usage, and cessation of marijuana usage results in withdrawal symptoms commonly associated with drug addiction and detoxification, with negative effects on the users mood, sleeping habits, appetite, while simultaneously experiencing a strong drug craving during this withdrawl period.

Does that mean marijuana is addictive? What do you think? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below!

Stopping any behavior that we’ve become accustomed to is very hard. Behaviors that are repeated daily become reinforced daily. When it comes to substances we put in the body – be it cigarettes, alcohol, weed, or even something like McDonalds food some think (like Morgan Spurlock) – the body can respond by craving said substances when it is denied them. The term addiction is highly controversial, and a definition everyone can agree on doesn’t really exist. Nevertheless, people who want to argue should go somewhere else – if you are here reading this article, I assume you are here because you’re interested in quitting marijuana and learning how to stop smoking weed.

These tips are not professional medical advice from a drug counselor. Rather, these are real life tips I want to share with you from my research into marijuana usage, addictive behavior, and from all the “marijuana addiction stories” I’ve learned over the years in the course of my work. Read this with an open mind and take it for what it’s worth.

1. Understand Why You Want to Stop Smoking Pot

It’s vital that you’re desire to stop smoking marijuana is intrinsically tied to a gut-level reason for wanting or even needing for quitting marijuana. I suggest taking out a paper or opening up a Word document on a computer and start adding your thoughts on why you want to stop smoking weed.

As an example, you might want to stop smoking marijuana because you’re about to have a son or daughter. Or you might want to stop smoking because you’ve swear you do not want to miss another job opportunity because of the drug test. Or maybe your reason for quiting is that someone you love died of lung cancer from smoking all their lives, and you’ve seen the toll this had on their family, and you never want to risk putting your family through the same thing.

These are all examples I’ve made up. I hope they don’t offend anyone. The point is – you need a reason to quit that hits you in the gut. You need a reason to quit that makes maybe upsets you or makes you tear up. Quiting a drug or an addictive behavior is tough, and having a “reason to believe” will increase your chances of not giving up when life gets rough and you want to solve the problem by getting high.

2. Commit to Quiting But Understand Mistakes Happen

Perfection is not realistic. I’m not saying that the second point here is to give yourself an excuse for using again. But what I’m saying is that it happens to the best of us, and before you throw in the towel forever, realize that THAT is just another excuse – the truth is, if you make a mistake, dust yourself off and move on.

Really what this point is about is accepting that you are human and that making a mistake once just means that you made a mistake – but it doesn’t mean you’ve given up on your commitment to quit smoking weed.

3. Get Support From Family and Friends

This is a tough one for many. Sometimes it’s friends and family who are threatened by your actions when it comes to trying to stop smoking pot. For them, you are a reminder that maybe they should look at their actions. Nevertheless, it’s very important to establish support where you can get it. If this is from family, great. If this is from your current friends, awesome.

However, if your family and friends won’t support you, then seek out new people in your life who will. This could mean going to drug abuse groups like Marijuana Anonymous or Alcoholics Anonymous. Or it could just mean trying new activities and meeting new people and never making drug use the focus of the social activities.

Some level of social support is practically mandatory here – get it where you can.

4. Consider Exercising, Taking Up a Hobby, Joining a Club, etc.

Often times when trying to end one habit, a trick to help is to replace it with a new habit. For our purposes here, doing something like joining a gym and establishing a daily exercise routine can be incredibly beneficial as part of your overall plan for how to stop smoking weed. But it doesn’t have to be this – it could be a hobby you’re passionate about or some kind of club you participate in.

I hope you’re reading this nodding your head and understanding how this can apply to your own life and your own goals in relation to marijuana. Marijuana addiction is something you don’t have to live with your whole life. You can quit. I hope this article point you in the right direction from how to stop smoking weed.

Being addicted to marijuana is uncommon for many smokers, but for those experiencing it, you’d better believe it is real. It is not something that happens to everyone. But some people who smoke marijuana do so compulsively, habitually, and….addictively.

Some of these same people may want to quit their habit and tbut you know what – they can’t. No matter how hard they try, they keep coming back to getting high, beating up their resolve each time this promise is broken, again and again. The cycle repeats. It’s no fun.

If you are at this point, you probably have a good idea of how your addiction is negatively impacting (technical word for “messing up”) your life. Having the money for drugs and otherwise doing whatever it takes to continually get high is getting in the way of everything else in their life – their family, school, their job, even being a Mom or Dad. And even if it’s not this dramatic, maybe it’s still bad enough. Maybe it’s still not who you want to be.

Maybe you or someone who love can count themselves amongst some of these people who want help against being addicted to marijuana.

Even though the vast majority of people who have smoked cannabis do not manifest signs of addiction or addictive behavior, this does not mean that those who do show these signs should be dismissed. It is not a judgment on the many individuals who regularly smoke marijuana and show none of the negative behaviors associated with being an addict, that there is, indeed, some people who become unable to control themselves and have an addiction that can, simply put, ruin their life.

Nevertheless, if you’re smoking cannabis and your addiction is causing you strife, if it’s controlling your life, it’s there is a compulsive urge to smoke and this gets in the way of your family life, your social life, your schoolwork, your career… then maybe you are here to do a little research on addiction and maybe what it would be like to seek treatment for this problem.

That’s the type of person and experience this website seeks to address and help.

If you are curious about what this means, please read the following posts:

Is Marijuana Addictive?
Is marijuana even an addictive drug? Some people don’t think so. The question itself is controversial. Marijuana use and its effects – it is not the same for everyone, and not all users are addicts. But that doesn’t mean some users don’t become addicted to marijuana.

Signs of Marijuana Addiction
A look at what could be seen as traditionally addictive behaviors, manifested by marijuana addicts. What are the signs of addiction?

Treatment for Marijuana Addiction
What options do you have if you seek treatment for your addictive behavior? A look at counseling, detoxification, and drug abuse rehab (in-house.). It might be more of an option that you think, and most importantly, your insurance likely covers some form of treatment.

Addicted to Marijuana: Users Stories (coming soon)
Profiles of drug abuse. How it’s effected real people. Real families. Addiction does have real consequences. If smoking has become a problem for you, maybe some real examples can help you decide what to to do in regards to your own behavior. If you have a story yourself you would like to be featured here anonymously, please contact us.

Basic info on Marijuana and Usage
A look at some statistics from different sources (for and against marijuana use) on the number of people who have tried marijuana at least once and those who have used it more recently, too.

The question of whether or not marijuana is even theoretically addictive is controversial.

Some users who regularly smoke marijuana – such as those working successful jobs and careers, or raising a family, who feel that smoking weed adds depth and joy to their daily life – find it rather insulting to ask about marijuana being addictive, likening the concept of addiction only to images of junkies clutching needles or crazed business men snorting cocaine.

This type of reaction misses the point though:

Marijuana addiction can still be a real problem for some even if others – even if most – people are able to function in a healthy or responsible manner while smoking marijuana.

The easiest analogy here is that of alcohol: the majority of alcohol users are not alcoholics, yet there is still a percentage of individuals who will become addicted to alcohol, and act out the signs of addiction.

But this is where the analogy gets fuzzy:

The casual marijuana smoker is usually put into an unfair box as compared to the casual drinker: when someone is talking about marijuana addiction, they often make the assumption that nearly everyone who smokes marijuana has a problem, whereas the same assumptions are not made for alcohol use.

This unfair bias is a big reason that many smokers feel threatened by the topic of marijuana addiction: when the smoke clears (no pun intended), they understand that the cultural attitude they are up against implies they are an addict by virtue of the fact that they use marijuana. Little to no consideration is given as to whether or not marijuana use could function as something other than a negative habit.

Unfortunately, this black and white outlook penalizes those who enjoy marijuana responsibly while obscuring the problem for those who are suffering because of a real addiction to marijuana.

I would say that despite all the hype and confusion, a good working definition of what it means to be addicted to marijuana is simply this:

“Marijuana addiction could be defined as chronically making the firm decision not to use marijuana followed shortly by a relapse due to experiencing overwhelming compulsive urges to use marijuana despite the firm decision not to. “

Note that this is definition sidesteps the question of whether or not MOST people become addicted, or how marijuana stacks up against other drugs in their addiction potential, etc. None of those things matter if that sentence above describes your experience. (Also note how well this definition works in regards to being addicted to anything.)

Addiction Signs

Understanding addictive behavior means looking at patterns and underlying motivations for a behavior and actions. While it’s not as easy as going down a list and checking yes or no and adding it all up, such a list is a useful tool is making an overall analysis of what is going on. Below is a set of symptoms that are associated with the behavior of a user who is suffering from marijuana addiction.

• User feels they are unable to control behavior.

Have you tried to stop smoking marijuana? Did you fail? Does this keep happening, despite how hard you try?

• Marijuana habit interferes with or causes a reduction in social activities.

Do you avoid people who disapprove of you smoking? Does marijuana gives you increase your social anxiety? Does it prevent you from going out and trying new experiences? If you didn’t smoke, do you think you’d have a more active social life?

• Marijuana use interferes with family life, negatively impacting relationships with children, parents, and loves ones

Ask yourself, “Would I be a better Father/Mother/Son/Daughter/etc if I weren’t doing this?”

• User spends money on marijuana when basic needs, or the needs of their family, etc. are not met

Are you still able to find money for marijuana even when money is not there for food, clothes, etc or to pay late bills?

• User experiences unpleasant side effects if he or she does not smoke marijuana.

Can you feel headaches or dizziness coming on that is only relieved by smoking again? Can you fall asleep without being high? Do you start to get nervous, anxious, or freak out if you know you are running out of or don’t have any more weed to smoke?

Treatment for those addicted to marijuana is available for those who simply seek the help they need.

There are a different options, and they range from simple drug abuse counseling, group meetings similar to Alcoholics Anonymous but for marijuana addicts, online drug counseling, and in-house rehabilitation.

This last option is the one I want to focus on.

Going to Specialized Rehab as a Treatment for Your Marijuana Addiction

The idea of going to rehab as part of your treatment can be fairly scary. The thing is though, if you are truly exhibiting the signs of marijuana addiction, especially if its effecting your family life, your job, or you ability to complete college, then…. sit back, take a deep breath, and consider what it would mean to go to rehab: you would go through a detoxification of marijuana in your system for one thing. You would supplement this would ongoing counseling one on one with someone who specializes in drug abuse and addictive behavior. You could very likely find yourself, if you wanted to, participating in a group session and reap the effects of positive peer pressure and all that comes along with opening up yourself to a group.

Most health insurance companies are going to drug abuse counseling and even in-house rehabilitation. It would likely require prior approval, which might include getting some sort of documented analysis from a doctor on the topic of being addicted to marijuana.

It really comes down to making the decision to deal with your marijuana addiction and then doing it.

Many of these rehab facilities offer luxurious perks and treatment plans for those going through detox, counseling, and other treatment for marijuana addiction. It’s not uncommon for them to offer high-scale hotel-like suites, pools, hot tubs, expansive outdoor (and private) nature get-aways, trails, and so on.

Drug Rehab centers such as Bayside Marina or Passages Malibu are like this. At this type of rehab facility, you can expect, honestly, an extremely high quality of comfort and care in your treatment for marijuana addiction.

What is it?
Marijuana is a mix of dried leaves and stems from the Cannibas Sativa plant. It is by far the most commonly used illegal drug in the USA. (More usage stats below.)

How is it sold?
Midrange to high quality marijuana is usually sold in increments as 8th of an ounce or a quarter of an ounce. It is also sold by the gram. It is common for lower grade marijuana is also sold in $5 and $10 amounts, known as nickel and dime bags.

How do people use marijuana?
By far the most common method of ingestion is smoking in a glass pipe or bong. In some cultures, Europe for example, marijuana is often mixed with tobacco and rolled into a joint. Marijuana can also be vaporized, cooked into brownies or other foods, made into a tea, and even into items such as chocolate. Other extraction methods are involved in creating marijuana-derivatives such as hash or resin, both of which are also smoked.

What are the effects?
Effects are wide-ranging, often contradicting one another. The intention, previous history with the drug, expectation, and setting, as well as quality or type of marijuana being smoked, greatly influence the effects. That being said, common effects include euphoria, light headedness, anxiety, paranoia, laughter, lethargy, apathy, and increased appetite (affectionately known as “the munchies”.)

How common is marijuana usage?
Marijuana use is widespread in the USA. Here’s a look at this a bit more in depth.

• NORML, a pro-marijuana group, states that 80 million Americans, at the time of the study, reported having used marijuana at least once. Of these, 20 million have used it in the last year. The latest government census states that the population of the USA is roughly 300 million people. Considering 80 million of them have tried marijuana and apparently it sounds like about 20 million use it currently – these numbers are significant!

One study found that…

• Percentage of 8th Graders who have tried marijuana at least once: 20% with 9% calling themselves ‘current users.’ (Unclear if that’s 9% of total number of 9% of the 20% who have tried it.)

• Percentage of 10th graders who have tried marijuana at least once: 40% with 20% reporting they were current users.

• Percentage of 12th graders who have tried marijuana at least once: 50% with 22% reporting they were current users.

Other Stats:

• Number of those seeking treatment for marijuana addiction: 150,000 per year, according to one, possibly suspect, website. (Other statistics have not been found to confirm this figure.)
• Interesting to note though, that not a single death has been attributed to using marijuana. This is significant to consider, as sometimes the hype around marijuana problems does get out of control.

Is it marijuana safe? Is it addictive?
These are complicated questions. It’s fair to say it’s safer than harder drugs yet not safe in the sense of causing delayed reaction time (while driving, for instance), not to mention the suffering it can inflict on the lungs via repeated smoking. This leads us to the next post and the next question on marijuana addiction i.e.  is marijuana addictive?