Marijuana abuse

Mouth | Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation | Marijuana abuse (Disease)


Description

Marijuana is usually smoked as a cigarette (joint) or in a pipe. It is also smoked in blunts, which are cigars that have been emptied of tobacco and refilled with a mixture of marijuana and tobacco. This mode of delivery combines marijuanas active ingredients with nicotine and other harmful chemicals. Marijuana can also be mixed in food or brewed as a tea. As a more concentrated, resinous form, it is called hashish; and as a sticky black liquid, hash oil. Marijuana smoke has a pungent and distinctive, usually sweet-and-sour odor.

Numerous research studies show that marijuana is indeed an addictive substance. The symptoms of addiction to marijuana are similar to those of any other addictive substance. The symptoms of marijuana withdrawal are similar to those of other drugs and include irritability, anger, depression, insomnia, drug craving, and decreased appetite. The negative physical, psychological, and social effects of marijuana are numerous.

Causes and Risk factors

Marijuana's (scientific name is Cannabis sativa) leaves, seeds, stems and/or roots are consumed by marijuana users for the purpose of feeling intoxicated. THC, or tetrahydrocannibinol, is one of the hundreds of compounds within marijuana that has major intoxicating effects.

Marijuana that is consumed for medical purposes, like for patients with nausea or poor appetite associated with AIDS or cancer treatment.

Diagnosis and Treatment

While most individuals with marijuana abuse or dependence are treated on an outpatient basis, admission to both outpatient and inpatient treatment programs for marijuana addiction has increased over the years. Behavioral and family based treatments have been found to be effective for marijuana abuse and addiction. There is as yet no medication that has yet been shown to be a clearly effective treatment of marijuana-use disorders. ...