Marijuana or cannabis, which has many popular street names, including pot, weed, grass, hash oil, herb, hemp, Texas tea, roach, etc., is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA’s) 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health report, 22.2 million people were the current users of marijuana in the U.S. in the previous year.
Marijuana refers to dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from the hemp plant, cannabis sativa. It can be vaporized, eaten or brewed, but people generally smoke it. The main psychoactive mind-altering chemical in marijuana is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta-9-THC), which is responsible for causing a high in the user. Marijuana reaches the same pleasure centers in the brain as heroin, cocaine and alcohol.
The impact of marijuana can differ from person to person. Its effects may depend on the quantity and the frequency of drug consumption. Actually, the drug is a hallucinogen which can produce a distorted perception and builds a trance that makes it difficult for the user to differentiate between reality and fiction.
Marijuana’s other immediate effects may include dizziness, dry mouth, loss of motor coordination, difficulty in thinking and rationalizing. Its long-term use can cause cancer due to the release of carcinogens and toxins. In fact, repeated use of the drug can cause mental disorders and other cognitive problems among the youth.
Marijuana is sometimes treated as a “gateway drug” to other serious addictions. There is evidence that after marijuana use people start indulging in other substances. It becomes difficult for a long-term user to break free from the drug use and there are high probabilities for a dual diagnosis. Therefore, it is always advisable to consult a de-addiction specialist attached to one of the reputed marijuana drug rehab centers.
By opting for an intensive detoxification program offered by a reputed marijuana addiction treatment center one can kick the habit of the drug, as it ensures a supportive environment to remove the drug from the addict’s body. A certified marijuana addiction rehab can provide several treatment options to overcome such an addiction.
Inpatient and outpatient recovery programs are a part of such marijuana drug rehab centers which can involve pharmacological treatments, behavioral therapies, individual therapies, counselling services and peer recovery programs. It is important to seek help from a certified facility which provides exemplary treatment options to adapt a marijuana-free lifestyle.