One of the most misleading aspects of state-level cannabis legalization is the false assertion that cannabis addiction is not real. Since beginning the push for legalized cannabis back in the 1990s, proponents have done their best to convince U.S. consumers that they do not have to worry about cannabis becoming the next big addiction problem.
In fairness, cannabis is not as addictive is heroin, cocaine, etc. But its addictive potential is still real. So real, in fact, that medical science has designated a special name for cannabis addiction: cannabis use disorder (CUD).
CUD Prevalence and Symptoms
The CDC estimates that 3 in 10 cannabis users have CUD at any given time. Put another way, the agency estimates that about 30% of all regular cannabis users will develop CUD at some point. The risk of developing the condition is greater among two groups of people:
- Those who begin using cannabis in their youth.
- Those who use it more frequently as adults.
CUD’s reality is one of the reasons experts are more aggressively warning teenagers and adolescents to stay away from cannabis. Their still-growing brains struggle with the effects of THC, thereby increasing the chances of adverse long-term effects.
How would a person know they are experiencing CUD? According to the CDC, here are the telltale signs:
- Regularly using more cannabis than intended.
- Trying to stop using but failing.
- Spending more time than normal using cannabis.
- Craving cannabis.
- Continuing to use despite it causing problems at home, work, etc.
- Cannabis use interfering with previously important activities.
- Using cannabis in high-risk situations (e.g., driving)
- Continuing to use despite experiencing physical or psychological problems.
- Needing to increase the amount being consumed in order to get the same high.
The CDC also says that people with CUD are it a greater risk of other adverse consequences. For example, their risk of developing learning, memory, and attention problems is higher.
CUD and Medical Consumption
CUD is more prevalent among long-term and heavy cannabis users. Therefore, it is not usually associated with medical consumption. The thinking is that medical consumption is supervised by a doctor or pharmacist. As such, a patient does not use cannabis frequently enough or at the higher doses necessary to create a CUD scenario.
This is not to say that CUD is impossible among medical cannabis patients. And in fact, the operators of Salt Lake City’s Beehive Farmacy medical cannabis pharmacy explain that the risks of CUD are the reason behind pharmacist recommendations to be careful about tolerance.
Tolerance is a condition in which the effects of a given drug are less pronounced because the body has gotten used to it. To a medical cannabis patient, tolerance represents the need to use more cannabis in order to experience the same symptom relief.
Given that tolerance is associated with CUD, experts recommend that patients do their best to avoid it. But how? A general rule suggests taking regular cannabis breaks. A medical cannabis patient might take 2-3 days off every month. In so doing, the body is allowed to reset. Visit BeehiveFarmacy.com for more info.
Ignoring It Doesn’t Help
It is disheartening when cannabis proponents claim that their drug of choice is not addictive. It is. And ignoring it doesn’t help.
CUD is very real. It is also not something to be taken lightly. If you use medical cannabis and are concerned about it, please talk with your doctor or pharmacist. Follow their professional recommendations for avoiding CUD.
If you are a recreational user, do not deny CUD’s realities. And if you recognize any of its symptoms in your own life, get professional help immediately.
