Effects of Use
Marijuana users claim that using the drug gives them these effects, which last for two or three hours after the drug is ingested:
- Ease in social situations
- Euphoria
- Feeling of relaxation
- Sexual arousal
Complications and Long-Term Effects of Marijuana Abuse
Using marijuana produces a sense of fuzziness in the brain, which has led to a number of accidents involving motor vehicles and in the workplace. Marijuana abuse during pregnancy leads to low-birth weight babies, and puts the child at increased risk for a form of blood cancer.
Marijuana doesn’t contain nicotine, but it does have more tar than tobacco products do. Repeated use increases the addict’s risk for:
- Bronchitis
- COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
- Emphysema
- Lung cancer
- Respiratory tract infections
Help and Treatment
Drug rehab centers offering programs for substance abuse are able to provide help and support to marijuana addicts. They can assist the addict through marijuana withdrawal symptoms, which include:
- Agitation
- Insomnia
- Irritability
- Nausea
- Sweating
- Tremors
- Weight loss
After the withdrawal phase is completed, individual and group therapy can be used to help the person successfully quit marijuana. Clients are taught to recognize the triggers that make them want to use the drug as part of marijuana addiction treatments. Once the triggers have been identified, the addict can learn effective strategies to deal with them. Screening for other addictions and psychiatric disorders should be part of the services offered, since marijuana is often used with other substances, such as alcohol, or as part of self-medicating for mental illness.
Beyond Quitting: Marijuana Recovery and Rehabilitation
Follow-up care for those who have been addicted to marijuana may include a referral to a 12-step program, such as Marijuana Anonymous, or a recommendation to enter a sober living house. Any psychiatric issues must be monitored, and medications or appropriate therapy given to avoid a relapse
