Is Marijuana Addictive? Myths and Facts About Cannabis and Its Effects

Is Marijuana Addictive?

The popular belief that marijuana is a “soft” drug that isn’t habit-forming does not match the clinical evidence. The international classifications of diseases ICD-10 and ICD-11 include the diagnosis “cannabinoid dependence syndrome,” and the American classification DSM-5 includes “cannabis use disorder.” This means doctors around the world recognize that, in some people, cannabis use leads to loss of control and continued use despite harm.

Not everyone who has tried cannabis develops addiction, but a significant share of regular users do. The active substance, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), acts on the brain’s endocannabinoid system, which regulates mood, memory, appetite, sleep and the reward system. When THC comes in frequently from outside, the system adapts: receptors become less sensitive, tolerance develops, and without the substance discomfort and cravings set in.

What Increases the Risk of Addiction

Starting use in adolescence, daily or near-daily use, using products with a high THC content (including concentrates), having anxiety, depression or ADHD, addiction in relatives, and using cannabis “to cope” with stress or insomnia.

Why Today’s Cannabis Is Stronger

Over recent decades, the THC content of the strains on sale, and especially of concentrates, has risen considerably, while the share of the protective compound cannabidiol (CBD) has often fallen. This increases the risk of addiction, anxiety reactions and psychotic episodes compared with what earlier generations experienced.

Myths and Facts About Marijuana

There are many persistent beliefs about cannabis that get in the way of recognizing a problem in time. Some of them arose because the effects of cannabis develop more slowly than, for example, those of opioids, and its withdrawal is less dramatic. But slow development doesn’t make a substance safe. Below are the most common myths doctors encounter and what is actually known about them.

Myth: It’s a Natural Plant, So It’s Harmless

Natural origin doesn’t mean safety: many poisonous substances come from plants. THC is a psychoactive substance that changes how the brain works. In addition, street cannabis may contain impurities or be treated with synthetic cannabinoids, which are far more dangerous.

Myth: You Can’t Become Addicted to Marijuana

Cannabinoid dependence is described in ICD and DSM-5 and is diagnosed using the same criteria as other addictions: cravings, loss of control, tolerance, withdrawal, giving up former interests and continued use despite harm. Many patients seek help precisely because they can’t stop on their own.

Myth: Cannabis Helps With Anxiety and Insomnia

In the short term it can cause relaxation and drowsiness, but with regular use anxiety and sleep problems often get worse, especially during periods without the substance. In some people, THC itself triggers panic attacks. Anxiety and insomnia are treated more effectively with psychotherapy and, if needed, medication prescribed by a doctor.

Myth: If It’s Legal in Other Countries, It Must Be Safe

Legal status in individual countries is determined by policy, not by proof that a substance is harmless. In Kazakhstan, the trafficking of cannabis is prohibited by law. Moreover, even where cannabis is legal, medical organizations continue to warn about the risks for teenagers, pregnant women and people with mental disorders.

Why Marijuana Is Dangerous for the Brain and Mental Health

Cannabis affects memory, attention, reaction time and the ability to learn. With regular use, these impairments persist between episodes, making school and work harder. In teenagers, whose brains are still developing, the effects can be longer-lasting. Many patients describe apathy, reduced motivation, a feeling of “brain fog” and a loss of interest in goals that used to matter to them.

Doctors are particularly concerned about the link between cannabis and psychotic disorders. Use — especially early, frequent use and use of high-THC products — increases the risk of psychotic episodes and may contribute to an earlier onset of schizophrenia in predisposed people. Cannabis is also linked to anxiety reactions, panic attacks and a worsening course of depression. Driving under the influence of cannabis increases the risk of accidents because of slowed reactions.

Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome

In some people, long-term regular use leads to recurrent episodes of severe nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. A characteristic feature is that a hot shower or bath brings relief. The condition only goes away after stopping use, and repeated vomiting can lead to dehydration and requires medical care.

Signs of Marijuana Addiction

Cannabis addiction often develops unnoticed: a person keeps studying or working, but substance use gradually takes up more and more space in their life. The belief that “you can’t get addicted to weed” makes it hard to admit the problem. If you recognize several of the signs below in yourself or someone close to you, it’s a reason to discuss the situation with a specialist without waiting for serious consequences.

• Use has become daily or nearly daily
• Without cannabis, it’s hard to fall asleep, relax or eat
• The amount keeps growing, and the usual dose no longer has an effect
• You can’t cut down, even though you want to
• Without the substance, irritability, anxiety and insomnia appear
• Interest in school, work and hobbies has dropped, and memory has gotten worse
• Use continues despite conflicts and problems
• A lot of time goes into getting cannabis, using it and recovering

What Cannabis Withdrawal Looks Like

Cannabis withdrawal syndrome is included in DSM-5 and described in ICD-11. It usually begins in the first days after stopping regular use, peaks in the first week and gradually eases over several weeks. It is not life-threatening the way alcohol or sedative withdrawal is, but it can be unpleasant enough that a person goes back to using just to relieve it.

Typical symptoms are irritability, short temper, anxiety and inner tension, insomnia and very vivid, sometimes disturbing dreams, reduced appetite, low mood and restlessness, and sometimes sweating, chills, headache and abdominal pain. Withdrawal can bring previously hidden anxiety or depressive disorders to the surface. Support from a doctor and a psychotherapist during this period reduces the risk of relapse.

How Marijuana Addiction Is Treated

Treatment is based on psychotherapy. Well-studied approaches include motivational interviewing, which helps people understand their own reasons for change; cognitive behavioral therapy, which teaches how to cope with cravings and triggers; and programs that reward sobriety. For teenagers, family-based approaches that involve parents are effective. A course of treatment usually takes several months, with sessions gradually becoming less frequent.

There are no medications specifically approved for treating cannabis addiction. A doctor may prescribe medication to ease particular withdrawal symptoms — insomnia, anxiety — and to treat co-occurring disorders: depression, an anxiety disorder or psychosis. If a psychotic episode develops during use, treatment is provided by a psychiatrist, often in an inpatient unit. After the main course, ongoing support, relapse prevention and rebuilding a life without the substance are important.

How Narcology 24 Can Help

At Narcology 24, you can get an anonymous consultation with an addiction doctor, psychiatrist or psychotherapist, including online. The specialist will assess your pattern of use and whether there is addiction, anxiety, depression or psychotic symptoms, and will suggest a treatment plan. In an acute situation — severe anxiety, panic, psychosis or repeated vomiting — a doctor can come to your home around the clock, and inpatient care is arranged if needed.

Addiction psychotherapy includes motivational work, cognitive behavioral techniques, relapse prevention and restoring sleep and daily routine without the substance. Consultations for relatives are available for parents of teenagers. Voluntary treatment is confidential: the information is protected by medical confidentiality under the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Public Health and the Healthcare System” and does not lead to being placed on the state addiction registry.

When to see a doctor

• You use cannabis every day and can’t cut down
• Without the substance, you get insomnia, irritability or severe anxiety
• Your school or work performance and memory have gotten worse, and you’ve lost interest in former goals
• After using, you experience panic, suspiciousness, unusual thoughts or visions
• You have recurring bouts of severe nausea and vomiting that are relieved by a hot shower
• A teenager in your family uses cannabis and you don’t know what to do
• Along with use, low mood or thoughts that life is meaningless have gotten worse

Questions and answers

Medically reviewed by

Rinat Zhumabekov, MDAddiction psychiatrist · experience 21 years

Home and inpatient alcohol detox, medical detox, withdrawal treatment, opioid addiction and blockades.