How does one know if they are addicted to weed?

Well that’s a real easy question to answer. You may or may not think this but if you cannot go without smoking weed everyday then you are addicted to it, it’s just as simple as that. Now you may think well “I could go without smoking weed everyday if I wanted to but I don’t want to” and you would be right and you don’t have to. A person can be addicted to weed and function just fine in society hell before you know it weed will probably be legal in every state in the union just like gambling, nicotine and alcohol. And just like people that are addicted to gambling, nicotine and alcohol you won’t have to seek underground sources to take care of your habit making it legal for you to use and then your life will be a dream.

Your brain is made up of neurons and neural circuits. Neurons are long, dangly cells that like to keep their distance from each other. To bridge the gap (or synapse), chemicals called neurotransmitters deliver messages by traveling from one neuron to another and attaching onto molecules called receptors. And guess what? There’s a special kind of neurotransmitter called an endocannabinoid. Yep, your body makes its own version of weed (sort of). “When we experience pain, inflammation, or stress or have issues related to fear or mood—our body releases [endocannabinoids], which go to our endocannabinoid system and help get rid of those unwanted sensations,”.

Since the cannabinoids in marijuana look and act the same as the kind your body makes, they’re able to slip by and latch onto the cannabinoid receptors in your brain. There are two types (that researchers know of): CB1, which are mostly located in areas of the brain that are associated with learning, memory, reward, anxiety, pain, and movement control, and CB2, which is associated with the immune system. The cannabinoids throw your usual system out of whack, boosting certain signals and interfering with others. Which is why marijuana’s effects can range from a feeling of relaxation and pain relief to clumsiness, anxiety (or lack thereof), and even the munchies.

Dependence vs. Addiction

Drug “dependence” means needing a drug to feel physically okay. If a person is dependent on a drug, having enough of a supply is always important to them. However, being dependent doesn’t necessarily mean they’re addicted. For example, many people can be dependent on a medication prescribed by their doctor without being addicted to it.

The difference is that people who are addicted start to think about the drug all the time and make it a larger priority than other things in their life. They often make bad decisions that work against their health and their overall well-being. In the case of a medication, they may start to abuse it (use it differently than how the doctor prescribed): taking more of it, or crushing it and injecting it. Or in the case of a drug like marijuana, they’ll be unable to stop using it even though it’s causing problems with school, a job, or relationships. People with an addiction are often unable to see—or admit—that this is happening.