Marijuana addiction??

My son, 17, has been in the juvenile system for a year and a half now simply because he can't pass a urine test to be released from probation. I have taken him to psychiatrists, counselors, have tried tough love, compassionate understanding, NOTHING has made him stop. He says that he has tried but simply can't stop. I get very little sympathy for this plight as most professionals don't see marijuana as addicting because it is not a 'physically' addicting drug. There is much debate over the how strong the 'mental' addiction is, though. Is anyone out there experiencing this struggle?? What has worked for you if anything??

[eyeofhorus2010]

Nothing about pot is addicting. One might have trouble falling asleep for a couple of nights after quitting but that's really about it. Lots of debate on marijuana use so I won't go into that.

I think he craves the mind altering release that he gets with it and that should be the focus of why is he getting high on pot so much. He keeps smoking not to ward off withdrawals mentaly or physically. There is some other underlying issue that he's trying to escape.

If I were on probation I would quit smoking long enough to get past a drug test. All pot smokers know that to get hired for a new job they have to quit for a month to pass the pre-employment drug screen. Your son needs help. Not with quitting marijuana but what's really bothering him. Teen angst! So much drama.

Good luck to you and your son. Best wishes.

[Richjess2226]

Hi. I smoked pot for years through my teens and didn't really have much trouble stopping. Although pot had started to make me very paranoid which was my incentive to stop.
Ive also had and got loads of friends who smoke pot and in my experience it is not that addictive at all. People who won't stop smoking usually just don't want to stop. They enjoy how they feel from smoking and as there aren't usually many draw backs and reasons to stop don't.
I think your son needs to take a look advent je feels he can't stop. Whatcha he getting from smoking it that makes him feel like he can't do without it? Before pot started making me paranoid I did kind of feel dependent on it, mainly because I felt life would be boring otherwise. I think it was the feeling of having something to look forward to at the end of the day that kept me using it. But, once I had decided to stop I didn't really have much trouble with it. My main problems we the fact that my friends still smoked it and that I had gotten addicted to smoking Tabasco as a result. The latter being something that is still with me today. Lol

[Richjess2226]

Sorry about the iPhone posting mistakes. Hope you can make sense of it. Oh and I don't smoke Tabasco? That would be nasty!!! Cigarettes!

[trdofbeingtrd]

I am sorry to disagree with posters on here about this subject. My opinion and advise could be wrong. I mean no offense to anyone and am only putting down what I am to help. People can make their own decisions about how they feel about marijuana and it's effects. Marijuana can be mentally addictive, but only because it becomes a habit and a way to deal with everything that comes with growing up. Your son is not quitting because he does not want to. I am sorry if that sounds stupid, but it is just like any other intoxicant that people do. If you do not want to quit cigarettes, you won't. What your son needs is something that can boost his self esteem, his self confidence, and something that will take up his time. It can be sports, martial arts, music (playing not listening), skating/biking/snowboarding/wake boarding/skiing, and or a hobby such as fishing/bowling/pool. If you find his interests and get him into them, he can put his energy and frustrations into these things. People smoke marijuana because it feels good, and although I am not judging or looking down on people who smoke marijuana (I smoked it in the past, which what gives me the personal experience in answering this), there are ways especially for the youth to feel good, they just don't know it because they keep getting high.

There are tournaments and meets that people go to where they can display their talents and need to be sober in order to do them. If you can find something he likes enough, and support him with it enough, there is a good chance he will become more into that, then getting high.

Again, to eyeofhorus2010, I mean no disrespect or offense. You could be right, and I could be wrong. I just felt because of the experience I have, that I had to say that. I do not judge people who smoke marijuana and if it helps them, it helps them. Please don't be mad at my advice to her.

[gnarly_1]

HI ......I both agree and disagree with the above posters....I agree it is not physically addicting but after years of chronic use (was my drug of choice) it is physiologically addictive witch is harder to deal with then 4 or 5 days of withdrawal we always say it not getting clean thats hard its staying clean that takes the work and thets the physiological part ...that being said as an addict we need to change the very way we think to overcome the disease
this includes figuring out the reasons we use in the first place again I agree with the above poster that there are underlying issues that are causing you son to use...the only cure I know of is aftercare such as N/A or A/A and the 12 step programs they offer you have alredy tried consoling and therapist N/A got me off weed and alcohol 5yr9mo ago it works if you work it ....I have 5 children and have been down the road with 4 of them all dont use today as a parent would say they out grew it but I did have 1 of the 4 go into full blown addiction methamphetamine/crack had the courts involve probation so I know what your going threw hang in there youll get threw this try what I suggested and see if that dont work good luck and God bless......Gnarly          

[COBOB]

I would say it has less to do with the "substance" an more to do with the personality.  If some one has the "addictive personality," it could be working out, hoarding, shopping, gambling, etc.  Your son needs to find something else to do that brings him pleasure.  Right now it is weed.  He needs to find some other "joy":  Snowboarding, sports, music, whatever.  

I smoke when I'm having pain and muscle spasms.  And although I say "smoke," I actually use a vaporizer.  And I don't think I have used it in the last 2 or 3 months.  It is something I go to when the skeletal muscle relaxants and GABA drugs are not working.  In my case, I don't want to be "high,"  I want to sleep, be in less pain, and free from my muscles spams...even if it is only for 3-4 hours.

Bob

[Teetime4u]

I don't see weed as physically addictive, but mentally it is. I agree that he may have an issue that he needs to face. Then again it could be the group he is running with. Peer pressure is horrible, especially for someone with some kind of issue. I also see it as a break through drug. I think everyone who became a recreational. Drug user started on weed. Then before they knew it they became addicts of stuff they can't just quit. My daughter went from weed/alcohol to coke to pills to shooting opiates and smoking crack. It is scary indeed!!

[throwindatowl]

Let him do what he wants. Dont support it. Now if he had a pill problem Id say different. You can od and die from pills. You can die. Pot, He is in no danger of dying just going to jail. Being a smoker its more of a choice than anything. People wanting to quit pills really do want to quit. They want it bad and its very hard to quit pills. Even quiting pills you can loose your life. Hes a young man thats gonna have learn the hard way how life works. He can quit smoking but just doesnt want to. Alcohol is way over looked as well and Im sure he had a drink before he ever touched pot. Continue with the tough love and thank god- he will never smoke to much and die.Your doing a good job as a parent but hes at that age that hell only listen to himself.

[hellc@mst]

I think it is a mistake to underestimate how overwhelming the compulsion to consume marijuana can be for some people. Just because a drug is not physically addictive does not mean its consumers are immune to the same intense cravings often associated with harder narcotics.

Noone questions the insatiable cravings experienced by crack/cocaine/methamphetamine addicts but these are all "only" psychological addictions. Why then are marijuana cravings dismissed as childish,unrestrained desires whist opiate/benzo/alcohol/bariturate addicts enjoy privileged status, by there not being held responsible for their inability to eschew their DOC?

Physical dependance isnt a necessary criteria when defining addiction. For me( as well as the DSM IV), the primary criteria which characterizes addiction is the inabilty to modify, stop, restrict consumption, even when threatened with dire consequences. Your sons reluctance to submit a clean UA is a compelling illustration of this premise.

[raisinsaregood]

Ok heres the deal, our brains produce natural THC to help us fall asleep ans relax. when you add THC artificially the brain stops producing THC naturally. that is not premanent. it takes a short amount of time for the brain to kick back into action and start producing THC again. that is the physical part of the addiction. i wish people would stop saying it is "only" psycologically addicting. it simply isnt true. however the psycological part of the addictionis the hardest part to shake. it could be his age momma. most 17 yr olds dabble in weed. maybe try to remind him that he is an adult soon and anything he gets busted with will haunt him and limit him possibly forever. also if you have been to a dr. and they have dismissed you because they dont understand marijuana addiction keep looking until you get a dr that understands it. so much marijuana research is new. maybe a younger dr would be more current. drs are only people too and are just as guilty as us in getting stuck in their way of thOught.

[raisinsaregood]

Also its true he needs to want to quit.

[harry501]

I agree that marijuana CAN be addidictive mentally. You crave that high. The depression, anxiety that comes when you stop can be very tough. This is most likely the cause to his addiction and it should be treated with care in my opinion. Everybody is different remember.

I also agree that it could be an escape from a deeper problem with him? e.g confidence

good luck