As Weed Addictions Spike, Fewer Are Seeking Help

Megan Feller smoked pot several times a day and couldn't eat, sleep, or function without it. But at the time, she didn't see the need to reach out for help. "I didn't think cannabis was a big deal," the 24-year-old tells the AP. "It was really socially accepted." This attitude is common. As more states legalize marijuana, use has become more normalized and products have become more potent, containing 40% or more THC, compared to less than 5% in the 1960s. But fewer of those who are addicted seek help for it. Nearly 18 million Americans reported daily or near-daily marijuana use in 2022, outpacing daily drinkers. And studies show a corresponding increase in cannabis use disorder—when people crave marijuana and spend lots of time using it even though it causes problems.

It's a condition that researchers estimate affects about three in 10 pot users and can be mild, moderate, or severe. And it's an addiction—despite the common misconception that that's not possible with marijuana, said Dr. Smita Das, an addiction psychiatrist at Stanford University. Meanwhile, the drug's widespread acceptance has fueled a stigma about seeking treatment. While pot isn't as harmful as harder drugs, frequent or heavy use has been linked to problems with learning, memory, and attention as well as chronic nausea, vomiting, and lung problems among those who smoke it. Some evidence has also linked it to earlier onset of psychosis in people with genetic risk factors for psychotic disorders like schizophrenia.

Pot is also increasingly available. Feller first tried it at 16 and quickly went from smoking the plant to using vape cartridges that were easy to hide in her pocket. Soon, she could barely get by without it. "I would wake up every morning for years, and until I smoked weed, I would throw up," she said. She finally sought treatment and has been sober from marijuana for almost a year. "I'm so much happier now," she said. But a study published this year showed the share of people who got treatment for cannabis use disorder from a nationally representative sample dropped from 19% in 2003 to 13% in 2019. An earlier study also found a marked decline and pointed to reasons that include "expanding cannabis legalization and more tolerant attitudes." Read more on the topic here and here.