From clinical experience (physician), I think this is correct. Almost NO ONE leaves MJ, once established... where most eventually leave opioids. The hook isn't severe, which seems to be why people think of it as non-addicting; but the momentum of an MJ-habit is second only to Tobacco IMO. It's maybe easier for a drunk to quit, than for a pothead. It's probably also easier To Lose Weight than To Quit Tokin'. SEX addicts are rare and treatable, but CANNIBIS addicts don't evenwantto quit; ever, in general.
Like Nicotine, it's a 3-fold addiction: physiologic/social/habit, but UNLIKE Nicotine, it accesses an upregulation pathway for disgust (like opioids do for pain); this means the physiologic dependency is long term AND specific; where Tobacco products are long term and general (and weaker). I think that is what makes MJ hard to jettison: people like mellow/hungry/accepting; disgust is unpleasant, as life-saving as it is...
The hook isn't severe, which seems to be why people think of it as non-addicting
I wouldn't consider it addicting all all, and more a problem with certainly personality or psychological types. There are many things in my life I don't particularly want to 'quit', but don't consider myself 'addicted'.
Even if I'm not smoking cannabis at the moment, I'm not swearing to never smoke again. Does that mean I'm addicted? Then there's food. Almost no one leaves food, unless they're a very dedicated Breatharian.
I mean, when 'the hook' is so mild that you can take it or leave it, can that really be considered an addiction? Do you really have to swear off something forever for it to not be an addiction?
From clinical experience (physician), I think this is correct. Almost NO ONE leaves MJ, once established... where most eventually leave opioids. The hook isn't severe, which seems to be why people think of it as non-addicting; but the momentum of an MJ-habit is second only to Tobacco IMO. It's maybe easier for a drunk to quit, than for a pothead. It's probably also easier To Lose Weight than To Quit Tokin'. SEX addicts are rare and treatable, but CANNIBIS addicts don't even want to quit; ever, in general.
Like Nicotine, it's a 3-fold addiction: physiologic/social/habit, but UNLIKE Nicotine, it accesses an upregulation pathway for disgust (like opioids do for pain); this means the physiologic dependency is long term AND specific; where Tobacco products are long term and general (and weaker). I think that is what makes MJ hard to jettison: people like mellow/hungry/accepting; disgust is unpleasant, as life-saving as it is...
Opioids are deadlier, though. By far.
I wouldn't consider it addicting all all, and more a problem with certainly personality or psychological types. There are many things in my life I don't particularly want to 'quit', but don't consider myself 'addicted'.
Even if I'm not smoking cannabis at the moment, I'm not swearing to never smoke again. Does that mean I'm addicted? Then there's food. Almost no one leaves food, unless they're a very dedicated Breatharian.
I mean, when 'the hook' is so mild that you can take it or leave it, can that really be considered an addiction? Do you really have to swear off something forever for it to not be an addiction?