There is chemical addiction and there is psychological addiction. Weed might not be chemically addictive but it can sure be psychologically addictive which is true with most stoners.
Dude, coffee and tea are loaded with this incredible compound called caffeine. It’s like a chemical wizard that messes with your brain in two ways: chemically and mentally. Chemically, caffeine hooks onto these receptors in your brain, blocking this chill neurotransmitter called adenosine. So instead of feeling relaxed and sleepy, you’re all pumped up and alert.
But that’s not all, man. When you consume caffeine regularly, your body becomes physically dependent on it. So, if you suddenly stop guzzling that liquid goodness, you’re gonna feel some withdrawal symptoms like headaches, fatigue, and even crankiness. It’s like your body is saying, “Hey, where’s my daily dose of that buzz?”
And let’s not forget about the mental game. Coffee and tea can be habit-forming, creating this psychological attachment. You know, that warm mug, that familiar taste, it becomes a part of your routine, man. Plus, the stimulating effects of caffeine can make you crave that buzz, that laser-focused state of mind.
So, there you have it, bro. Coffee and tea aren’t just about flavor and ritual; they mess with your brain chemistry and play tricks on your mind. It’s like a wild ride, all packed into a cup.
I don’t agree with that chemical/psychological distinction. Weed and other drugs mess with your neurotransmitters/receptors which are fundamental to our psychological functioning, you can’t draw a line and say this is chemical addiction that causes you to vomit, sweat, and shake, and this is some higher level ”I want it cause it makes me feel nice” addiction. It’s the same thing, just not as severe. And heavy chronic weed use absolutely will cause uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms like headaches, irritability, mood swings, apathy etc.
It’s not chemically addictive. Honestly people should really pointing fingers at smokers. Majority who smoke know the risks. Sugar is far more dangerous yet and they add it to everything. Weed on the other hand can help the majority with far less side effects then prescription pills. I’d take an edible or spray any day. Although it is far more fun to use a bong.
Good meme but honestly when do you see an angry smoker? Even if he breaks his piece, worst that happens is a bummed high.
It is physically addictive. Research has shown this already I am fairly sure. It’s not nearly as addictive as some other things like alcohol obviously. Psychological addiction also shouldn’t be dismissed.
Sugar is dangerous? Maybe refined sugars are - especially if you’re diabetic - but most sugars are actually natural and some form complex carbohydrates and fibres. It’s a lot more complex than this hot take. Sometimes even diabetic people need sugar in an emergency condition called hypoglycemia. It’s also not in any way a drug; really wish people stopped saying this. Also genetic material is partially made from sugars like ribose and deoxyribose.
There are real life consequences to smoking too much weed and this can include damage to your lungs and can negatively impact the brain. Brain problems is mostly an issue for people under 25 though so smoking after this age is less problematic. That being said it’s still much better than some other drugs like you say. Before people ask yes this includes alcohol as alcohol is quite toxic to brain and body when consumed habitually.
Weed can’t replace all prescriptions either. It’s just not as good at blocking pain as opiates even if it’s a lot safer. That being said if it helps you then that’s great - especially if it’s in edible form or spray form as this is healthier than smoking.
Not sure I’d agree with any study saying it is physically addictive, habitually I’d agree.
My point on the sugar though is it certainly does create addiction. It’s in so many things even products like jerky. I know lots of other things get broken down into sugar which is also the point. We would do far better without all the added sugar. It’s what creates future diabetics in the first place. There is so much fake healthy foods it’s ridiculous. Like…Wheat bread!? All sugar, better off with white if your gonna bother with bread. You’re body should be running off fat not sugar. People on keto for example can lower their cholesterol immensely vs the doctor recommend way. I’m just having trouble concerning the different between chemical ladden cigarettes vs shit that is available in stores. Now the one thing that I see a negative for weed is that it is a stimulant. Increases in heart rates could be an issue in older folks, for a potentially greater risk of heart attacks.
Not sure I’d agree with any study saying it is physically addictive, habitually I’d agree. So you’re willing to ignore science… that’s sounds like a river in Egypt to me mate.
Habit forming and addictive mean the same thing in medical terms. Cannabis has observed withdrawal symptoms like sleeplessness, appetite changes, and nausea that classify it as physically addictive. You’re ignoring these because it dosen’t suit your narrative and beliefs.
My point on the sugar though is it certainly does create addiction. I agree with this provided your talking about refined sugars. The point is though it’s not a drug. Sugars are a natural part of the human diet. They literally make up your DNA. Refined sugars are not natural though.
If you’re trying to argue weed isn’t at least a wee bit addictive, you’ve clearly never smoked it any actual length of time. I love weed, but let’s no kid ourselves lads.
Marijuana is absolutely physically addictive as much as people want to say it isnt. Mind you im someone who smokes the minute they leave work until they go to bed. So im not here to push any kind of anti-marijuana view point, but i do think we as stoners should be honest. Everyone i know who stops smoking weed has two very common side effects.
They have a lot of trouble getting to sleep
Wild/fucked up dreams.
I understand that this is a side effect of lack of REM but you cant say these aren’t physical withdrawal symptoms. Research is needed, but just because we all want it to be legal, doesn’t mean we should ignore the facts.
Marijuana is absolutely physically addictive as much as people want to say it isnt.
I mean it scientifically isn’t though. Physical addictions don’t just give you psychological withdrawals, they are physical. Your body becomes dependent on them to maintain homeostasis.
Cold turkeying drugs like opioids and benzos can kill you.
Just because the withdrawal symptoms aren’t as bad doesn’t mean they don’t exist. I said this before, research is needed. Going off of whats been said over the last 50 years of prohibition seems silly to me. And i for sure use marijuana to keep me in homeostasis. We need to stop saying psychological withdrawal doesnt have roots based in brain chemistry. I think everything we have begun to learn about mental health shows what little we actually know.
Dude those “withdrawal symptoms” are a joke compared to any other drug.
That said, I don’t know a single person who identifies as a stoner that isn’t completely and utterly mentally addicted. And the drug is so subtle, stoners rarely try to stop.
Cocaine, even a 2 day bender is incredibly hard on your body. If you’re a person with any kind of responsibilities in your life, you’ll be strongly incentivized to reconsider the habit in no time.
But weed, it’s meh. Most users can restrict their use to when they’re not at work, so it’s fine.
Which makes it more dangerous.
I’ve watched so many promising futures flushed down the toilet by weed. Motivation? gone. Real hobbies? Indoors in front of a screen only. At its worst, I’ve seen friends totally withdraw from socializing almost entirely. Social anxiety combined with the escape of being high was enough to dampen and deny the very real human need to connect with others.
Every single one of these individuals went through some form of depression that was was extended and exacerbated by escapism and addiction in the form of excessive marijuana usage.
I know that’s not everyone. There are people who use it in a healthy, balanced way.
But there are also a ton of people who get heavily addicted because it dampens the pain of something they’re going through. And that pattern can make it a lot harder to make progress and work through whatever that person is dealing with.
Anyone who’s spent any time around stoners knows this is true. And yeah, for a lot of people, it’s a gateway drug. I’ve seen plenty of buddies in college jump from weed to xans to oxy. It’s ruined lives. It made my best friend drop out.
And yeah, these people clearly already had issues. But that’s how drug addiction works. It preys on people who are going through something and it makes a bad situation way worse.
Weed can do the exact same thing. Doesn’t matter if it’s not physically addicting.
This comment hit the nail on the head. It’s no big deal to spend an evening after work getting high and watching movies. But then it becomes every evening. Now you can’t deal with daily life if you don’t get to smoke between work shifts. Maybe you show up to work high to take the edge off. Now you’re high all the time and being sober feels weird. Spending all your time just sort of floating in a dream because being high is your default state now.
Everything becomes more effort so you just stop bothering. Playing an instrument? This requires too much focus. I’m gonna go lay down on the couch. Socializing? I’m too high to drive, I’ll stay home today (man I’m so freaking lonely). It really truly is a trade-off where you sacrifice a fulfilling life for an easily tolerated one. At some point you start to realize this and increase your intake to try to make those uneasy thoughts go away.
Nobody wants to be on meth-lite every day because it turns you in to a tweaker asshole. Even if it helps with some of the symptoms. Weed being more mild is the entire reason people use it so much.
Meh anytime I take a tbreak the first few days kinda suck but all I had to do was make sure I was getting enough activity through the day and got to sleep just fine. Only times I really felt the sleep issue in a tbreak is if I was just sitting on my ass all day
Personally I thought weed was very addictive, but not in the traditional sense.
Take coffee for instance. When I stopped drinking coffee I had headaches, was a dick for a few days, but that’s it. Which is pretty easy compared to, say, heroin (so I hear).
With weed, I didn’t have any of that, but I craved the relaxation it brought. The feeling of not giving a fuck about anything for a few hours was great, and I longed for it. I still long for it sometimes. And I think that’s the dangerous thing about weed being labeled as “non-addictive.”
Just because you don’t have a physical reaction to abstaining, doesn’t mean the emotional reliance is nothing.
That’s pretty much a habit, I also get uncomfortable when I have to go out when I always have that day free. Peanut butter cups might not be a good example because the sugar is really bad for humans.
There’s withdrawal but of the four drugs i have been physically addicted to (caffeine, weed, nicotine, and SSRIs) it’s the only one I can cold turkey in under a week and feel fine.
Caffeine isn’t addictive. Your body acclimates to long term usage, and you will experience some withdrawal symptoms but this is classified as a dependency and not an addiction as it does not trigger the reward mechanisms like weed and or methamphetamine does. It’s an important distinction and is why coffee and tea are often served at [Addiction] Anonymous meetings.
It’s both. Nicotine is also both. Note how people at AA still often smoke. And how much coffee they’ll pound even after dinner.
The only drug I misclassified is SSRIs. Which don’t trigger the dopamine reward system.
And my comment was in light of OP and common language usage. People say heroin addiction and they mean heroin dependency. It doesn’t help anyone to be pedantic about these two words. And I say that as someone who has taken college level classes on pharmacology and alcohol and drug dependence and is very aware of the technical differences used professionally.
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