Marijuana is one of the many types of plants and herbs that have been used in society for centuries. It’s found a home in religious, spiritual, and medicinal applications for various reasons. The psychoactive properties were once considered to bring followers closer to their spiritual guides, with the pain-relieving and relaxing aspects used to help treat injuries or promote a calmness for meditation and introspection.
All of that makes it sound like marijuana is a miracle plant. While it does have medicinal properties that can be extremely beneficial in a medical setting, the traditional uses of it carry some rather concerning side effects.
Cannabis Use Disorder
While marijuana is a plant, it still has the potential to cause what doctors call cannabis use disorder (CUD). This condition develops when someone finds it difficult to stop using marijuana even when it interferes with school, work, health, or relationships. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, about 1 in 10 adults who use marijuana will develop a disorder, and the risk rises to 1 in 6 for those who start using before the age of 18. Addiction doesn’t happen overnight, but over time, repeated use can rewire the brain’s reward system, making marijuana feel less like a choice and more like a need.
What Exactly Is Marijuana?
Marijuana is the dried flower of the cannabis plant, typically being shades of earthy colors such as green, brown and grey. You’ve likely also heard it referred to as weed, ganja, pot, Mary Jane, or reefer, depending on the source.
Once cultivated, it can be used in a variety of ways. Drying and smoking marijuana is the most widely known method, but creating teas and tinctures has been popular when medicinal use is the application. The recreational use of marijuana is where the concerns of addiction and negative health impacts come into play.
One important difference between marijuana today and marijuana of the past is potency. Modern strains are often engineered to contain much higher levels of THC than what was available just a few decades ago. Concentrated products like oils, wax, or “shatter” can contain THC levels above 70–80%. The stronger the THC, the faster the brain adapts, which increases the chances of building tolerance and experiencing dependence. For some people, this can mean needing more marijuana just to feel “normal.”
How Marijuana Affects the Brain
Marijuana affects the brain differently than substances like alcohol or opioids, but that doesn’t mean it’s harmless. The brain has natural chemicals, called endocannabinoids, that help regulate mood, memory, and motivation. THC, the main chemical in marijuana, imitates these natural messengers. Over time, the brain may produce less of its own, leading to feelings of low mood, lack of motivation, or anxiety without marijuana. THC also stimulates the release of dopamine, the brain’s “feel-good” chemical, which helps explain why people want to keep using even when it causes problems.
The concern for marijuana addiction is based on the brain’s receptors called endocannabinoid neurotransmitters and their ability to function during and after marijuana use. Our bodies work to maintain a state of balance, or homeostasis, and will adapt to an increase in a chemical by producing less of it naturally.
This natural reduction in chemical production is a common side effect of drug use, not just in marijuana. The inability of your brain to produce mood-balancing chemicals makes users turn to drug use more and more.
Herein lies another issue: tolerance. As users smoke more and more, they build up a tolerance to the THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, which is the psychoactive and mood-altering chemical found in marijuana. The higher the tolerance, the more THC that’s needed to achieve the same “high” feeling or even feel normal as their mood slumps without extra help.
Signs of Addiction
How can you tell if marijuana use is becoming a problem? Some common signs of marijuana addiction include:
- Using more than intended or being unable to cut back.
- Spending a lot of time thinking about, getting, or using marijuana.
- Craving marijuana when you don’t have it.
- Noticing that marijuana use is interfering with school, work, or relationships.
- Building a tolerance and needing more to get the same effect.
- Feeling irritable, anxious, or having trouble sleeping when trying to quit.
If two or more of these symptoms sound familiar, it may be time to take a closer look at your relationship with marijuana.
Getting Ahead Of Marijuana Addiction
For many people, stopping marijuana can bring temporary withdrawal symptoms such as trouble sleeping, irritability, restlessness, or loss of appetite. These symptoms usually improve within a week or two, but they can make quitting on your own feel overwhelming.
At America’s Rehab Campuses, we understand that addiction isn’t just about the drug — it’s about the whole person. That’s why our programs combine evidence-based therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with supportive services such as group counseling, family therapy, and wellness activities. Our team can also help you manage cravings, learn new coping strategies, and address any underlying anxiety or depression that may have contributed to marijuana use.
Please don’t hesitate to visit us online for more information and resources on addiction, as well as options to contact our team of addiction specialists for a private consultation regarding your concerns about marijuana addiction or abuse.
