Is Marijuana Actually Addictive?
-
anonymous Asks ...
Is marijuana actually addictive or do people with addictive personalities just end up getting addicted to marijuana because they use it. But if they didn’t end up getting addicted to marijuana they would end up getting addicted to something else, like sex or food or alcohol so it is not the marijuana that is addictive it is just some people are going to get addicted to something no matter what.
-
Dr. Stuart Shipko Says ...
In a word, yes. It is pretty safe to say that any drug which alters the mind has the capability for dependency and tolerance, the two main features of addiction. Some people are more likely to get addicted than others, but it is clear to me from my patients, that there are people who don't have what one would call an addictive personality who have become quite addicted to marijuana. The idea of the 'addictive personality' has never been fully clarified, and it is more or less a nonprofessional term. Human beings are creatures of habit, and whatever we do repetitively will tend to become an "addiction." Marijuana addiction can take many forms, from the person who just sits and smokes all day long, to the person who uses it two or three times a week. With the long half life of the active ingredients, regular use just a couple times a week can result in withdrawal symptoms.
