Marijuana
Addiction Solution
If you are seeking
help for yourself or for a loved
one, you should be educated on the subject of
chronic drug addiction in order to make an
informed decision about the correct treatment
option. The following facts and information are
provided to fulfill this need. We hope you find
it helpful. If you need immediate
assistance, we're standing by to help: (877) 340-3602.
The latest information from the Office of Applied Studies of SAMHSA
(Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration) indicates that
statistics for marijuana continue to worsen. In 2006, there were 2.1
million persons who had used marijuana for the first time within the
past 12 months; this averages to approximately 6,000 initiates per day.
Most (63.3 percent) of the 2.1 million recent marijuana initiates were
younger than age 18 when they first used. Among youths aged 12 to 17, an
estimated 4.7 percent had used marijuana for the first time within the
past year.
A drug is addicting if it causes compulsive, often uncontrollable drug
craving, seeking, and use, even in the face of negative health and
social consequences. Marijuana meets this criterion. More than 120,000
people seek treatment per year for their primary marijuana addiction. In
addition, animal studies suggest marijuana causes physical dependence,
and some people report withdrawal symptoms.
Long-term marijuana abuse can lead to addiction; that is, compulsive
drug seeking and abuse despite its known harmful effects upon social
functioning in the context of family, school, work, and recreational
activities. Long-term marijuana abusers trying to quit report
irritability, sleeplessness, decreased appetite, anxiety, and drug
craving, all of which make it difficult to quit. These withdrawal
symptoms begin within about 1 day following abstinence, peak at 2–3
days, and subside within 1 or 2 weeks following drug cessation.1 |
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