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DrugScreening.org


 
First Major Study of Marijuana Addiction Underway
March 17, 2008

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News Summary

A $4-million study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse will examine the neurobiological effects of marijuana use in what is billed as the first comprehensive study of marijuana addiction, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported March 14.

The four-year project, led by researcher Barbara Mason of the Scripps Research Institute, will include both human and animal studies. Researchers will look at the impact of marijuana use on the body, including symptoms of withdrawal and long-term effects.

The research could lead to new types of treatment for individuals struggling with marijuana use. The question of whether marijuana addiction even exists has long been in dispute, and such a disorder has never appeared in the major reference manual for psychiatric disorders. But studies at the University of Michigan concluded that about one in nine or 10 marijuana users become dependent upon the drug, and Mason is among those researchers who say that marijuana withdrawal is real.

"I'm not a stand-on-the-soapbox kind of person," she said. "I just feel like there's a real gap in our knowledge and understanding of cannabis that I want to fill in."

"Cannabis addiction is a common patient complaint," added addiction researcher Mark Gold of the University of Florida. "While treatments have been developed for addictions from alcohol to nicotine and narcotics, none exists for the cannabis dependent. This research will help the field define what cannabis is and is not, and how to treat it."

Mason will study the components of marijuana withdrawal as well as the drug's effects on users of various ages, including teens and young adults. The project will feature neurophysiological testing and functional imaging of the brains of marijuana users.

COMMENTS ON THIS ARTICLE:

Posted by mary poole on 28 Jul 08 07:18 AM EDT
i think marijuana should be legalized.get us off these mind altering prescription drugs.all gov.officils are mind controlling the public in thinking these prescription drugs are for our health/not.help the young and the old to under stand what the people in the system are doining to our sanity and our lifes.

Posted by John E on 19 Jun 08 12:07 PM EDT
The only reason people think marijuana is not addictive is because it is stored in the fat cells and lingers in the body for 1-2 months after discontinuing use. The withdrawal happens so gradually (unlike heroin or other water soluable drugs) that it's barely noticeable. As an addiction counselor, I find my clients whose primary drug is marijuana have more relapses than their counterparts who came in for opiate, cocaine, benzodiazepines, etc. As far as marijuana addiction not being mentioned in any psychiatric manual, how about the DSM-IV-TR (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) published by the American Psychiatric Association?304.30 Cannabis Dependence describes "compulsive use and associated problems." Let's get the facts straight before opening up such a broad debate.

Posted by CADC on 19 Jun 08 08:55 AM EDT
Listen, maybeeee MJ helps relieve symptoms of anxiety, depression, etc, but what OTHER harm does it cause in the meantime. It's NOT legal (for obvious reasons), its not regulated and it is addictive. You must never have seen a person who had to stop smoking it go through mood swings, amotivational syndrom issues, and lack of concentration..those are not mind vs. matter problems, those are symptoms of withdrawal. Figure it out, if our kids continue smoking the good old "harmless" MJ, and become BURNED OUT, there goes our futures!! So, I'm depressed, maybe I'll go smoke some weed and get into an even deeper depression when i cant afford to buy it, or cant find my dealer, or get some MJ laced with PCP or heroin..YAY, I'm not depressed anymore - just close to O.D. because NOW, I've got other drugs in my brain i didnt even know about. Common sense needs to make a come back in the world.

Posted by mariesrun420 on 16 May 08 01:07 PM EDT
This article starts with a lie from the government that this is the "first comprehensive study" of marijuana addiction. EVERYTHING is addicting if abused by a susceptible person: gambler, over-eater, alcoholic, sex addict... I've seen people become addicted to their computer! Of course the gov't study will be skewed in prohibitionist favor, and the real issue of MEDICINAL USE will again be hidden with straw man tactics. How much HARM has MJ use caused? MORE PEOPLE DIED FROM PROHIBITION IN THE TIME IT TOOK TO WRITE THIS BLOG THAN HAVE EVER DIED FROM MJ IN RECORDED HISTORY.

Posted by Frank Winkler on 01 Apr 08 04:18 PM EDT
Krys 0420 and others who argue in favor of legalization, that pot is relatively harmless,etc., should do themselves the favor of doing some serious objective research into the true nature of pot and how it impacts the brain and the body. Dr. Daniel Amen's SPCET scans alone should more than suffice to convince even the most sceptical and cynical of pot's impact. Treatment data clearly documents the many problems associated with treatment and the effects of pot addiction. Consider that pot widens (actually doubles) the gap between the brain's synapses. What do you suppose that does to one's ability to think, focus, concentrate and properly react? Arguing that other drugs are far more powerful, dangerous, etc., is like saying its ok to get bitten by a copperhead-- just stay away from cobras and black mambas.

Posted by Krysg0420 on 31 Mar 08 05:39 PM EDT
Why not MJ? How many lives does it claim every year? Look at your statistics and see how many lives perscription drugs claim and then compare that to the lives MJ claims. Our wonderful gov. has the bright idea that an addict can get better through treatment plans such as Methadone clinics. Methadone more addictive and deadly than most street drugs. I am an addict and I know that I felt anxious when I was first in recovery. Councilers in my treatment program suggested methadone but I knew better only because I had seen first hand how it had destoried many of my friends and so I refused. I thought of how helpfull MJ would have been at this point in my recovery but, due to court ordered drug testing was not able to see first hand. Still I am convinced that MJ would be a much safer alternative to methadone and lots and lots of perscription drugs. I do not care how many test they do ANY commercial you see for ANY perscription drug always has NUMEROUS side effects MJ will never have as many side effects or side effects as serious.

Posted by DrugMonkey on 28 Mar 08 03:11 PM EDT
Aaaaand, as we see right here in the comments, YMMV. As in not everyone that smokes (even a lot) of MJ will become addicted. So what? Some fraction of people WILL become addicted and the research is directed at these people. Not everyone exposed to just about every drug you can think of (yes, including IV heroin) becomes addicted. the distinction between "psychological" and "physical" addiction is absurd. changes in your brain's structure and function which underlie "craving" and altered affect are just as physical as changes that result in the dramatic somatic signs of withdrawal from heroin, for example.

Posted by Peter O'Loughlin on 26 Mar 08 10:21 AM EDT
A note to Anthony. All mind altering drugs have the potential for addiction, some have greater potential than others. The fact that you acknowledge that you have to use will power not to smoke, is an indication that you have formed a dependency on marijuana. If you did not have to use will power to resist the temptation, then you don't have any cause for concern. Neither is addiction dependent on quantity or frequency of use, but on the way the drug of choice affects the individual. Some, due to a genetic misfortune, or a personality disoder are more vulnerable, are more vulnerable than others. Addiction is not a choice, but like any other cancer some develop it others don't, but if you think its to do with your willpower, you are deluding yourself and delusion is one of the characteristics of addiction.

Posted by Bonnie on 26 Mar 08 08:20 AM EDT
I facilitate a support group for families and friends of people addicted to opiates - If you want to talk addiction - PHYSICAL and psychological, let's talk OxyContin, Vicodin, Percocet and the illegal opiate Heroin. Even nicotine addiction is worse than MJ. I agree with the person who said let's spend that 4 million on state funded treatment for people addicted to legal deadly prescription pain killers, which then lead them to Heroin (cheaper). Kids are dieing while waiting on some "list" to get into treatment centers!!! We worry way too much about the legal and illegal drugs - let's focus on the drugs that are KILLing thousands of our children first - through overdoses and suicides.

Posted by Colleen on 25 Mar 08 11:52 AM EDT
I am a psychiatric nurse working with youth. I don't care if you light a banana peel on fire and suck it in to your lungs. Lighting anything on fire and sucking it in to your lungs causes ripped, shredded, and torn alveoli (like popping a balloon). If you pop too many balloons you end up with emphysema and if you can't breathe, nothing else really matters. Smoking MJ deposits tar, among many other things, in to your lung tissue. Perhaps the better question to ask is why do so many young people in this country feel the need to alter their mental status?

Posted by Craig on 24 Mar 08 05:01 PM EDT
Regardless of whether we think marjuana safe to use for medical or recreational purposes, or not at all. I know one thing it's not safe to allow it to be sold by meth dealers and criminal gangs in schools and residential areas. If we want to break the cycle of addiction why allow the marijuana market to be controlled by dealers of other drugs. We need a policy of carrots and sticks: punish people for selling and buying criminal market marijuana but allow a strictly regulated market. I think porn is immoral and not safe for people to overindulge in, but we strictly regulated it without allowing it to be sold and marketed everywhere, especially around residential areas and schools. Keeping marijuana market in the hands of criminals increases its harms to our kids and communities.

Posted by Paul on 24 Mar 08 02:17 PM EDT
NIDA stands for National institute on Drug Abuse. That is their focus... drug abuse. They only make reports on the negative effects of a drug. I’m not saying marijuana is completely benign or for children (unless authorized by a doctor) but if marijuana wasn’t relatively safe and effective for medical maledictions do you think The American College of Physicians, 124,000 strong, would release a position paper endorsing medical marijuana in Feb 08. To see the paper Google > American College of Physicians Marijuana.

Posted by Cathy on 24 Mar 08 11:25 AM EDT
I also work in the MH field with SA clients. Many report MJ is more effective than pharmeceuticals for depression and anxiety; which is now recognized as a possible primary diagnosis which is being self-medicated. Mainstream pharmaceuticals, i.e. on TV come with side effects and addiction potential, and cost is outrageous. Question really is....What treatment? We don't even provide affordable treatment to to the thousands addicted to serious drugs i.e. heroin, crack, oxycontin, xanax etc.

Posted by Frank Winkler on 19 Mar 08 02:34 PM EDT
That marijuana is addictive is not really a question-- treatment stats and otehr research answer that only too clearly. The question is what are the impact and consequences of addiction. See again diminished neural activity experienced by pot smokers as reflected in SPECT imagery and psychological and physiological consequences. Don't believe "government- controlled" research results? Check out the many studies done in other countries dating back to the '70s and before. And if pot really is harmless as many argue, then why oppose the proposed research? It might just validate your argument to continue using it. And if research should find otherwise, you have time to fabricate still more arguments to refute it in turn.

Posted by Donald B. Parsons on 18 Mar 08 03:45 PM EDT
I believe NIDA is just another Government Agency that will tow the company line. I want the Government to allow research from more then 1 INDEPENDENT research group NOT sanctioned by BIASED people. I know from 30 years of personal research that Marijuauna is Physcologically addictive and NOT Physically addictive as Prohibitionists would want you to believe. I have over the years had to quit for various reasons. I spent 5 years in the U.S. Army and only smoked when advised by my Commanding Officer to expedite my departure from the U.S. Army at my request. I quit for 30 days in 1990 when honeymooning in Florida as I don't travel with illegal drugs, or drive under the influence out of fear of Incarceration. You'll just be wastin 4 Million dollars. I just hope NONE of that is MY tax dollars at work. Just because its the Scripps Research Inst. doing the study , they are using funding from NIDA a government tow the line gang.It also sounds like B. Mason and M. Gold already have some preconceived notions that Marijuana IS ADDICTIVE. Sounds like the results are already in to me. "How bout Ya'll?"

Posted by Anthony Taurus on 18 Mar 08 12:39 PM EDT
The US has done plenty of research which they've kept hidden because their own research debunks a lot of what they prefer we know about marijuana. Other nations have done the research and come to positive conclusions as well. I'd say for every one person or one study claiming purely negative effects, there are 10 more willing to be honest about marijuana including good and bad data. Usually most times you'll find that the studies used to determine marijuana is evil are very very biased. I am not saying marijuana is going to cure the world. But, it is NOT the evil drug that many want us to believe. Any kind of inhaled smoke will have a negative impact because it's inhaled smoke. Ask a firefighter! But, we've got to stop demonizing this plant and recognize it for it's beneficial properties even when smoked! But, the most important thing we have to study is this difference between psycho addiction and physical addiction. Marijuana is not physically addictive. I think more studies like this are necessary but the question will always come down to whether or not it will be biased or fair. I always wait for the experts to review studies like this instead of trying to interpret it myself.

Posted by Anthony (Taurus) on 18 Mar 08 12:15 PM EDT
George. I understand that mice are close to humans in physiology but not close enough. It's been shown that mice are affected differently and far worse compared to humans because they lack the ability to process marijuana as humans do. I know about that test and I also know it was basically debunked! Slammerv. I am not one of the few. I am one of the many! I am very into the MJ world and trust me when I say that! This is where we have to find out.. Psychological vs Physical. Is marijuana like cocaine and tobacco or is it like gambling and sex. I believe for those people who are "addicted" it's more like the latter. Frak. http://www.quackwatch.org/06ResearchProjects/amen.html Eric. It wouldn't matter because drugs are legal when it benefits big business - alcohol and tobacco. It's not a moral issue. It's made to believe that it's a moral issue. Tobacco companies don't want marijuana. Pharmaceutical companies don't want marijuana. Alcohol companies don't want marijuana. And criminals don't want marijuana. Now ask yourself who benefits the most from keeping marijuana illegal and then follow the money trail.

Posted by Jon W. on 18 Mar 08 12:10 PM EDT
I've been an addiction therapist for 16 years. When I started in this field I didn't view marijuana as a drug causing physical dependence. My clients have taught me that not only is it addictive, but it is perhaps the sneakiest, most cunning of all the drugs of abuse because it is so good at talking the user into believeing there are no consequences from thier using. "I'm the same guy I was 10 years ago" is all too true. Persons who become addicted seem to have their personal growth arrested. I salute NIDA for investing in this study

Posted by Dean Becker on 18 Mar 08 12:09 PM EDT
So if marijuana is minimally addictive to perhaps 1 in 10 people it should be illegal? Tobacco, perhaps the most addictive drug of all kills more than 400,000 Americans every year and it is legal for adults. Marijuana was described by DEA Law Judge Francis L. Young as "one of the safest therapeutic agents known to man" remains illegal because of sensationalist and hypocritical news articles like this one.

Posted by Eric Sterling on 18 Mar 08 11:37 AM EDT
Would there be less vehemence in the comments on whether marijuana is addictive if use of marijuana were not a crime? What kind of consensus could be created that marijuana can be addictive if marijuana use were not a crime? Would our conversation on treating marijuana addiction be more effective if use of marijuana were not a crime? Would there be any positive impact on our ability to provide treatment to persons with marijuana addiction if use of marijuana were not a crime? Why do people believe that the fact that marijuana can be addictive gives the state the moral authority to punish persons who use marijuana?

Posted by Frak Winkler on 18 Mar 08 11:17 AM EDT
Check Dr. Daniel Amen's SPECT scans of the brain's diminished capacity under influence of pot, and the two year's abstinance required to achieve at least partial restoration, and research showing pot doubles the gap between synapses. Check the treatment stats on pot users, & the psychosocial treatment histories reflecting pot as a gateway and dependency substance. THC isn't harmless, regardless of the pothead's endless arguments to rationalize its abuse. Then look at DUI pot accident stats. How much evidence do you need? Then again, none are so blind as...

Posted by slammerv on 18 Mar 08 08:35 AM EDT
Anthony, you may be one of the lucky few who do not develop a dependency on MJ. But this also depends on how long and how frequent you have been smoking. Over the past week if you have noticed a decrease in appetite, increase in irritability, difficulty sleeping, falling asleep or having headaches, you are experiencing withdrawals. Many times the withdrawal symptoms are so minor that it is easy to dismiss them on a bad nights sleep or a bad day at work. In the past 10 years there has been a 100% increase in admission to treatment for MJ addiction. It IS addicting. Being a drug counselor for the past 11 years, I have seen the effects of MJ addiction. Don't be fooled.

Posted by George on 18 Mar 08 08:28 AM EDT
One long standing question regarding Marijuana use is whether it is a biologically addictive drug. Billy Martin, M.D., Medical College of Virginia, looked at the issue of withdrawal symptoms, a hall mark of addictive substances. With Marijuana it is so hard to tell because the chemical THC is not water soluable and lingers in the body for so long that concrete withdrawal symptoms are hard to see. When laboratory mice were given the equivalent to one to two joints of marijuana a day for 5 days and then the mice were given a chemical that blocks marijuana's brain receptors, rapidly cutting off the effects of the drug's effects, the mice did go into physical withdrawal. The withdrawal symptoms most noticed were "wet dog shakes", facial rubbing and hyper excitability were also noticed.

Posted by David Graham on 17 Mar 08 01:18 PM EDT
I know that marijuana is addicting. I smoke and when I don't have it people say that I am a complete jerk. It is the only thing that makes me feel like my world is right. I promise you it is not an exaggeration

Posted by Anthony on 17 Mar 08 11:54 AM EDT
There will be NO treatment for marijuana addiction because it is NOT addictive. Take me as study subject. I am on day 8 of a 40 day break to end on 4/20! I have been around it at least three times so far and did not feel a need to smoke. Of course I wanted to but I didn't! It takes will power, NOT treatment. Psychological vs Physical!

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