Marijuana is not physically addictive, despite what many anti-marijuana people want us to believe.  Marijuana users can use it regularly, even multiple times daily, without any problem giving it up.

A very small minority of people (heavy chronic users) who use marijuana can find that they have developed a psychological addiction. This can be as mild as some difficulty sleeping, slight irritability, and moodiness.  Since most people who use marijuana are not heavy chronic users, this is not common at all.  If you are concerned about any possibility of psychological addiction it is very easily avoided by taking time off from regular use.  For instance, if you use it every day, you should take one day off per week or take one week off every three months.  Even without taking this time off from use, the majority of people using marijuana report that they have no difficulty stopping usage.

Marijuana has the lowest risk of dependence and withdrawal potential if you compare it to other substances, such as alcohol, opiates (like Vicodin), caffeine, and other psychoactive drugs. Many of the anti-depressants (currently being prescribed abundantly) have very severe physical withdrawal symptoms which most patients are not warned about.

People who are addiction-prone can have trouble controlling their use of marijuana.  This is an issue for about 10% of users (this number comes from looking at recreational users, not those using marijuana for medicinal purposes).  A person who is considered a marijuana abuser is one who uses it to excess and finds that the use interferes with normal every day activities, like maintaining personal hygiene, going to work, having normal interpersonal relationships.  Persons who find that they cannot control their use may find abstinence is preferred.

Most medical marijuana patients find that they cannot function on the medications that they have been prescribed for pain, insomnia, depression, etc. and find that they function very well on medical marijuana.  It can be said that this ability to maintain a normal life without dependence and addiction is what is driving many patients to choose medical marijuana as their preferred medication.

Additionally, another compelling reason that most medical marijuana patients have switched from opiates (like Vicodin), antidepressants, or sleeping pills is exactly for the reason that marijuana is not physically addictive and can be easily stopped.  Some MMEC patients report that they can use marijuana for a week for a back pain flare-up, then easily stop until the next episode.  Some patients report to us that they only use it on the nights that they cannot sleep, maybe 2 -3 times per week.  If you find that you are concerned about the addictive potential of the medications that you are taking, medical marijuana may be the answer for you.  It treats a whole slew of symptoms and for the majority of those using it, no issues with dependence and addiction.  It is a much smarter and more natural choice than many of the pharmaceuticals being pushed prescribed by doctors.  And again, with vaporizers, edibles and tinctures readily available, there is no need to smoke this medication – many patients are finding the other delivery methods quite effective.

Clinical depression is a very serious illness.  People with this condition have long-term, often debilitating feelings of sadness and low self-esteem.  There can be suicidal thoughts.  Depression makes ordinary tasks such as going to work, cooking, cleaning, even personal hygiene, very difficult.

Once the symptoms have been evaluated by a doctor, prescription medications are routinely prescribed.  There are many types of anti-depressant medications:  tricyclic antidepressants, MAOs(monoamine oxidase inhibitors), SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors), SNRIs (serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors) and a few others.

A very recent analysis published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (Jan 2010) stated that antidepressants are only effective for those with severe depression.  Those patients with mild to moderate depression had no benefits with prescribed medications.  But these medications are prescribed with alarming frequency to those patients who may not benefit.  Pharmaceutical companies profited $9.6 billion in 2008 on antidepressants alone.  Is it about your health and well-being or about money?

To add insult to injury, the side effects from antidepressants can be serious and unacceptable for many people.  Sometimes the side effects are worse than the symptoms of depression. Here are some of the side effects for each type of medication:

• Tricyclics:  blurred vision, constipation, difficulty urinating,worsening of glaucoma, impaired thinking, fatigue, high blood pressure
• MAO inhibitors: weakness, dizziness, headaches, tremors, deadly if mixed with certain other drugs
• SSRIs:  loss of appetite, weight loss, insomnia, nausea, nervousness, insomnia, headache, sexual problems
• SNRIs: loss of appetite, weight loss, insomnia, fatigue, headache, sexual problems, liver failure, high blood pressure

With many of these medications, there is also what is called “discontinuation syndrome” – otherwise known to regular people as bad withdrawal!  You cannot just stop most of these types of medications as you can become very ill.  Patients who choose to stop these types of medications find that they must taper the dose with a physician’s supervision or they are unable to stop the medication.

Another very concerning issue regarding these medications is that there is an increased risk of suicide, especially in younger patients.  The jury is still out on this but Great Britain has banned use of antidepressants in those younger than 18, and the FDA now requires all antidepressants to carry a warning that states that they carry an increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors.  Scary!

Medical cannabis has been used for centuries to treat depression.  An English clergyman named Robert Burton stated in 1621 that cannabis was helpful to treat depression.  It was used for depression over 400 years ago in India.  In the 17th century it was prescribed by physicians in England to treat depression.  In 1890, a British physician named J.R. Reynolds reviewed the previous 30 years of use of cannabis and determined that cannabis was helpful for depression and other illnesses (asthma, certain forms of epilepsy, nerve pain, painful menstrual cramps, migraines and tics).

More recently, patient surveys show that cannabis is being used by many people to treat depression with good results. Many studies also show that patients who have depression as a result of another debilitating disease, such as cancer, HIV, multiple sclerosis or chronic pain, report less depression symptoms with the use of cannabis.

Researchers have found that low doses of cannabis increased serotonin levels in the brain, which helps to improve mood.  Higher doses of cannabis tended to increase symptoms of depression because the serotonin levels were depleted.  There are many conflicting scientific studies about the use of cannabis for depression.  Currently medical cannabis is being used by many people for depression , but patients must be careful to use low to moderate doses so as not to cause worsening of symptoms.  If patients find that symptoms are worsening, cannabis usage should be curtailed.  Chronic heavy use of cannabis is not recommended, but in low doses patients may find the relief they need without the unwanted side effects from conventionally prescribed medicines.  Other treatments in combination with medical cannabis may help to improve results, such as therapy or counseling, exercise, and a healthy diet with natural foods.

One of the benefits of being a physician-approved medical marijuana patient is that you can choose which medication strain to use based on your illness and the goal of your treatment.  For example, patients with depression often find that sativa strains alleviate the symptoms that cause inactivity and sadness, while patients with anxiety and depression may find a hybrid strain to better suit their symptoms.  Patients who are using medical marijuana for sleep disorders find that the indica strains are reliable for excellent sustained sleep with no “hangover” the next day.

As always we encourage NOT smoking the plant as the toxins in the smoke can damage your lungs.  But there are many other ways to use the medication (vaporizers, edibles, tinctures) so that you can avoid the smoke-related side effects.  And of course talking with a knowledgeable physician at MMEC can help you decide if this medication would be helpful for your medical condition.

Patients with spinal cord injuries with paralysis of their legs and/or arms, often have severe chronic pain and muscle spasms. The conventional treatment for these symptoms is synthetic medications, including high dose opiates, tranquilizers, and sedatives.  These medication have significant negative side effects and can even be fatal if mixed and taken incorrectly.  Many of these types of patients have already found tremendous relief with medical cannabis use and find that they do not need prescription medications.  There have been a number of scientific studies that found THC (the main compound in cannabis) to be effective in reducing spasticity (muscle spasms).  In a survey conducted at the Veterans Administration hospitals, 88% of patients surveyed with spinal cord injuries stated that they had relief of spasticity with cannabis use.   There are many studies that have shown that patients with chronic severe pain get excellent relief with cannabis.  To sum up, those patients who suffer with paraplegia or quadriplegia often find pain reduction/elimination and relaxation of spasticity with medical cannabis use, all without the negative and unwanted side effects of conventional medications.  Remember it is all about daily quality of life.

The first time use of cannabis is unique.  Although no one yet understands why, many people don’t feel anything the first time they use cannabis.  They do feel it the second or third time. At  times the first time users are noted by the people around them to be acting differently but they themselves don’t notice it.  It has been suggested that the first time user can up his or her dose to feel the effects but this is not recommended as this greatly increases the risk of an unpleasant experience.  If you have not used cannabis before, you should proceed carefully and stick to the concept of “less is more”.  If you did not feel any effects with the first time use, you will be sure to feel it the second or third time.