Mark Myers Expert Answer to: I Am Addicted to Marijuana and Want to Stop."

From your description, you have two issues you are dealing with, depression and dependency on Marijuana. Both of those issues should be considered. There is a likelihood, they both may be contributing to each other, creating a feedback loop. If you are depressed you could enjoy the escape that comes from the high. The residual effects of the pot use leave you feeling lethargic, unmotivated, and in a "fog", which contribute to feeling depressed. Click here to find out more.

4-20 and Cannabis use

Today is April 20th. This day takes on special significance for individuals immersed in Cannabis use . It is used to identify oneself with Cannabis use culture. 420(pronounced four-twenty) is based on the number as well as the event. Although that are different beliefs of it’s origins, the most consistent theory is the term was first used by a group of teenagers in California. Their designated hang out was a wall outside their school. The term was used for the time of day that they would indulge in marijuana use. The term has evolved into a counterculture holiday in North America, where people gather to celebrate and consume cannabis. The term is used also as code to disguise dialogue from those who do not smoke marijuana.

Skunk Cannabis;Use increases risk of Psychosis.

Growing numbers of people in the South East are using a form of cannabis believed to put users more at risk of psychosis than other forms of the drug click for more

Q&A About Marijuana 2

Continued Q&A about Marijuana Use provided by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and National Institutes on Health.

Q: How does marijuana affect the brain?

A: THC affects the nerve cells in the part of the brain where memories are formed. This makes it hard for the user to recall recent events (such as what happened a few minutes ago). It is hard to lean while high-a working short-term memory is required for learning and performing tasks that call for more than one or two steps. Among a group of long-time heavy marijuana users in Costa Rica, researchers found that the people had great trouble when asked to recall a short list of words (a standard test of memory). People in that study group also found it very hard to focus their attention on the tests given to them. As people age, they normally lose nerve cells in a region of the brain that is important for remembering events. Chronic exposure to THC may hasten the age-related loss of these nerve cells. In one study, researchers found that rats exposed to THC every 8 months (about 1/3 of their life span) showed a loss of brain cells comparable to rats that were twice their age. It is not known whether a similar effect occurs in human. Researchers are still learning about the many ways that marijuana could affect the brain. 

Q: Can the drug cause mental illness?

A: Scientists do not yet known whether the use of marijuana causes mental illness. Among the difficulties in this kind of research are determining whether drug use precedes or follows mental health problems; whether one causes the other; and/or whether both are due to factors such as genetics or environmental conditions. High doses of marijuana can induce psychosis (disturbed perceptions and thoughts), and marijuana use can worsen psychotic symptoms in people who have had schizophrenia. There is also evidence of increased rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thinking in chronic marijuana users. However, it is not yet clear whether marijuana is being used in an attempt to self-medicate an already present, but otherwise untreated, mental health problem or whether marijuana use leads to mental disorders (or both).

Q: Do marijuana users lose their motivation?

A: Some frequent, long-term marijuana users show signs of a lack of motivation (sometimes termed "amotivational syndrome"). Their problems include not caring about what happens in their lives, no desire to work regularly, fatigue, and a lack of concern about how they look. As a result of these symptoms, some users tend to perform poorly in school or at work. Scientist are still studying these problems.

Q: Can a person become addicted to marijuana?

A: Yes. Although not everyone who uses marijuana becomes addicted, when a user begins to seek out and take the drug compulsively, that person is said to be dependent on the drug or addicted to it. In 2004, more than 298,317 people entering drug treatment programs reported marijuana as their primary drug of abuse, showing they needed help to stop using. Some heavy users of marijuana show signs of withdrawal when they do not use the drug. They develop symptoms such as restlessness, loss of appetite, trouble sleeping, weight loss, and shaky hands. According to one study, marijuana use by teens who have prior serious antisocial problems can quickly lead to dependence on the drug. That study also found that, for troubled teens using tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana, progression from their first use of marijuana to regular use was about as rapid as their progression to regular tobacco use and more rapid than the progression to regular use of alcohol. 

Q: What is "tolerance" for marijuana?

A: "Tolerance" means that the user needs increasingly larger doses of the drug to get the same desired results that he or she previously got from smaller amounts. Some frequent, heavy users of marijuana may develop tolerance for it.

Q: Are there treatments to help marijuana users?

A: Up until a few years ago, it was hard to find treatment programs specifically for marijuana users. Treatments for marijuana dependence were much the same as therapies for other drug abuse problems. These include behavioral therapies,  multi systemic therapy, individual and group counseling, and regular attendance at meeting of support group, such as Narcotics Anonymous. Recently, researchers have been testing different ways to attract marijuana users to treatment and help them abstain from drug use. There are currently no medications for treating marijuana dependence. Treatment programs focus on counseling and group support systems. From these studies, drug treatment professionals are learning which characteristics of users are predictors of success in treatment and which approaches to treatment can be most helpful. Further progress set up to help adolescents in particular. Some of these programs are in university research centers, where most of the young patients report marijuana as their drug of choice. Others are in independent adolescent treatment facilities. Family physicians can be a good source for information and help in dealing with adolescents' marijuana problems.

Q: Can marijuana be used as medicine?

A: There has been much debate in the media about the possible medical use of marijuana. Under U.S> law since 1970, marijuana had been a Schedule I controlled substance. This means that he drug, at least in its smoked form, had no commonly accepted medical use. In considering possible medical uses of marijuana, it is important to distinguish between whole marijuana and pure THC or other specific chemicals derived from cannabis. Whole marijuana contains hundreds of chemicals, some of which may be harmful to health. THC, manufactured into a pill that is taken by mouth, not smoked, can be used for treating the nausea and vomiting that go along with certain caner treatments and is available by prescription. Another chemical related to THC (nabilonecannabinoids) may have other medical used. According to scientists, more research needs to be done on marijuana's side effects and potential benefits before it can be recommended for medical use. However, because of the adverse effects of smoking marijuana, research on other cannabinoids appears more promising for the development of new medications.

Q: How can I prevent my child from getting involved with marijuana?

A: There is no magic bullet for preventing teen drug use. But parents can be influential by talking to their children about the dangers of using marijuana and other drugs. and by remaining actively engaged in their children's lives. Even after teens enter high school, parents can stay involved in schoolwork, recreation, and social activities with their children's friends. Research shows that appropriate parental monitoring can reduce future drug use, even among those adolescents who may be prone to marijuana use, such as those who are rebellious, cannot control their emotions, and experience internal distress. To address the issue of drug abuse in your area, it is important to get involved in drug abuse prevention programs in your community or your child's school. Find out what prevention programs you and your children can participate in together.

Resources: National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information: 1-800-729-6686. Visit NIDA's Web site at www.drugabuse.gov, www.marijuana-info.org, and www.teens.drugabuse.gov

Legal But Not Safe: K2

Some individuals have gone to great lengths to experience altered states or “highs.” When we think of getting high, the images that comes to most peoples mind is illegal drugs or alcohol. That is not always the case. There are legal or easily accessible items that could be used to induce a high. The methods used may include inhaling household products, inhaling gasoline, abusing prescription and over the counter medication, and various products advertised at Head Shops (local retail shops that specialize in drug paraphernalia related to consumption of cannabis and other recreational drugs).

If a product is legal, it may not mean it is safe. A new trend is synthetic marijuana, K2, Spice, or fake weed. It looks similar to marijuana and individuals who use it would not come up positive on hair analysis or urinalysis. This product can be legally obtained over the Internet, Head Shops, or even gas stations. It was first introduced around 1990 but in the last few years has become more popular. The ingredients include a chemical made to mimic THC (the main chemical in marijuana that produces the high). The producers of this imply in their advertisements the drug is organic but that is not the case. The component that produces the high is made in a laboratory.

Due to it’s relative newness, there is not a lot of data out on the long term effects it produces. We do know that some studies indicate the high is similar to that of marijuana but may not have the long term effects of a marijuana high. Some of the side effects may include feelings of paranoia, anxiety, and depression. Just like other potential drugs of abuse, there is the concern that individuals will rely too much on it for relaxation or to reach the desired effects. This prevents individuals from developing their own methods or coping skills to address personal issues.  There are not any legal regulations on making this product , at this time, and some of the chemicals may be mixed in home laboratories resulting in imprecise mixtures that could make the effects of its use unpredictable and even dangerous.

There are some states that have banned it or have introduced legislation to ban it. Parents could help address this issue by talking about it with their children. Rather than focusing on whether or not the product is legal, we may miss the point that the drug is harmful to children. 

Up in Smoke: The Medical Marijuana Debate

Containing over 400 chemicals, the cannabis plant is the source of marijuana, which has been labeled a Schedule 1 controlled substance since 1970. Once treated and dried, marijuana can be smoked (or even eaten!) to induce an altered mood, caused primarily by THC (delta 9 tetrhydrocannabinol). The terms "medical cannabis" and "medical marijuana" refer to the use of the chemicals in the cannabis plant and marijuana (such as THC) as a physician-recommended from of medicine or herbal therapy.

The potency of marijuana has increased over the years, with a 4% increase of THC presence in the drug from 20 years ago. Often taken as a recreational drug, marijuana has some adverse effects: short term memory loss, increased heart rate, weakening of the immune system, raised risk of lung infections, increased risk of lung cancer, decrease in perception and reaction time response (which is especially dangerous when driving), exacerbation of current mental health problems (or the creation of new ones), breathing problems, and addictive qualities (1).

The administration of medical marijuana is most frequently done through vaporizing or smoking dried buds, eating or drinking extracts, and taking capsules. Smoking has fielded the fewest positive outcomes (2).

Medicinal marijuana is a much-debated topic in the medical field, with no clear-cut agreement. Some research indicates that it could be effective for the relief of nausea and vomiting, stimulation of hunger in chemotherapy and AIDS patients, gastrointestinal illness, and lowered intralobular eye pressure (which has been effective for treating glaucoma).

Both pro and con sides of the medical marijuana debate present compelling arguments. It is important to remember that if the legalization of medicinal marijuana does occur, it should have no bearing on the legality of recreational use (which is a fear of many opponents of medical marijuana). As recently as May of 2011, the Illinois House of Representatives failed to pass medical marijuana legislation that came up for a vote. In fact, many legal medical drugs on the market are not only illegal, but also dangerous to use recreationally. Furthermore, there is a wide variety of marijuana with different potencies and additives (over 400 other chemicals), and street marijuana for medical use carries a greater risk than marijuana cultivated specifically for medicinal treatment.

Before an informed decision can be made, it would only be wise to undertake further research. Doctors have no guidelines or standards on when to use, how to administer, and the possible side effects of medicinal marijuana. With more research comes more knowledge, and with more knowledge comes the basis to train doctors to use medical marijuana effectively, and how to draw a distinct line between medical applications of marijuana and recreational use.

1. National Institute on Drug Abuse. Marijuana: Facts for Teens (http://www.drugabuse.gov/MarijBroch/MarijIntro.html). NIH Pub. No. 98-4037. Bethesda, MD. NIDA, NIH, DHHS. Revised March 2008. Retrieved June 2009.

2. Wikipedia