Marijuana is a drug that just about everyone has heard of, has their own opinions of and/or are familiar with from their own experiences. Not everyone who tries it ends up becoming dependent, but that doesn’t mean that it’s accurate to conclude that this substance is completely benign, either. It’s important to learn the facts about marijuana.
Facts About Marijuana
- Marijuana is taken from the dried flowers and leaves of the hemp plant, Cannabis It is an annual herb that grows naturally in several tropical and humid regions of the world.
- Marijuana is the most commonly used illegal drug in the United States. About 100 million Americans have tried this drug at least once and more than 25 million people have smoked it within the last 12 months.
- Around the world, approximately 152 million adults use marijuana at least once a year, and 22.5 million people use it on a daily basis.
- Since marijuana is such a popular drug, it probably has more street names than any other drug. Here are just a few examples: Aunt Mary, BC bud, Bud, Kush, Flower, Ganja, Grass, Grasshopper, J, Jane, Mary Jane, Mary Jonas, Muggles, Pretendo, Queen Ann’s lace, Stink weed, Thirteen and more.
- The active ingredient that produces a high is THC (delta 9 tetrhydrocannabinol). It produces feelings of elation and loss of inhibition. Marijuana users also experience a distorted sense of time, as well as heightened imagination and increased visual sensitivity after using.
- The amount of THC in a particular sample can vary anywhere from three-20 percent, depending on weather, soil conditions, the time the cannabis was harvested and the mixture of dried leaves and flowers in the marijuana product.
- Marijuana addiction is real, and adults who seek treatment for this type of drug dependence seek help after using for an average of more than 10 years of “near-daily use.”
Help For Marijuana Addiction
Consequences that lead people to seek treatment for marijuana addiction include low self-esteem, lack of energy, sleep and memory issues, financial problems, family conflicts, dissatisfaction with productivity and lack of life satisfaction.
Most people who seek treatment describe themselves as being unable to stop on their own, and they have tried to stop independently several times before seeking professional help for their drug addiction.
Maryland Recovery offers personalized addiction treatment that focuses on each individual’s personal needs and goals. Call us now to find out more about our programs and how we can help you or someone you love!
Reviewed by Christopher Schwartfigure MS, LGPC, CAC-AD
