The compulsion to use marijuana is a form of addiction

Is it addicting and do people go through a withdrawal when they stop smoking? Thanks.

A: Actually, this is two questions: is marijuana addicting and do people experience a withdrawal when they stop smoking it. I say this is two questions, because a drug can be addicting, despite it not causing a withdrawal syndrome when a person stops using the drug. Cocaine, for example, is highly addicting, but stopping cocaine does not lead to a withdrawal syndrome.

To answer your question about whether marijuana is addicting, I must first define chemical addiction, which is the compulsive use of the chemical, seeking to use more and more of it, and being unable to stop. Often with addiction, there is the preoccupation with using the drug, and more and more is spent on getting and using the drug..In this regard, marijuana can be addicting as many people report compulsive use and an inability to stop using it.

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