Decriminalize Marijuana? Part 2
Many view addicts as losers who can not control themselves or are bad people in general. This view is completely off-base. There are many factors that may lead a person down the path of addiction. In this segment of Decriminalize marijuana? We will look at a few of these factors.
The Mayo clinic says there are two main factors to drugs use including marijuana. These factors are Genetic and environmental. Some people's genetic make-up make them more likely to become addicted to one substance or another. For others family norms and peer groups can lead them to try drugs for the first time.
There is also a link between drug use and mental health disorders. Many try illegal drugs to self-medicate things like depression. Also, some have tried the drugs from the big pharmaceutical companies for depression or anxiety and they have either failed or had very unpleasant side-effects.
So many try marijuana and it can lessen the effects of depression and anxiety and for many with fewer side-effects at least for a short time. These people really feel this is their best option to get relief from their mental health issues. This leads to another question. Is marijuana addictive?
According to many Psychologist they say yes. Adi Jaffe Ph.D an addiction researcher for UCLA says there is the ability to become addicted marijuana. This is because of the interaction between the cannabinoid receptors and the opioid receptors in the brain. He says the potential for addiction to marijuana is very low.
This may explain why many users of marijuana have no trouble quitting the substance.
The FPV take:
The fact is many use marijuana (and other drugs) to self-medicate mental health issues and research in the past has shown that many homeless people in America have both drug addiction and at least one mental health issue. For many their mental health problems lead them to drugs before or even after treatment from drugs from big Pharma. So do not just look at pot smokers as losers because they could be trying to mask the pain they are really going through.
This is part 2 of 3 in this series on the decriminalization of marijuana. Keep a lookout for part 3 in the near future.
The Mayo clinic says there are two main factors to drugs use including marijuana. These factors are Genetic and environmental. Some people's genetic make-up make them more likely to become addicted to one substance or another. For others family norms and peer groups can lead them to try drugs for the first time.
There is also a link between drug use and mental health disorders. Many try illegal drugs to self-medicate things like depression. Also, some have tried the drugs from the big pharmaceutical companies for depression or anxiety and they have either failed or had very unpleasant side-effects.
So many try marijuana and it can lessen the effects of depression and anxiety and for many with fewer side-effects at least for a short time. These people really feel this is their best option to get relief from their mental health issues. This leads to another question. Is marijuana addictive?
According to many Psychologist they say yes. Adi Jaffe Ph.D an addiction researcher for UCLA says there is the ability to become addicted marijuana. This is because of the interaction between the cannabinoid receptors and the opioid receptors in the brain. He says the potential for addiction to marijuana is very low.
This may explain why many users of marijuana have no trouble quitting the substance.
The FPV take:
The fact is many use marijuana (and other drugs) to self-medicate mental health issues and research in the past has shown that many homeless people in America have both drug addiction and at least one mental health issue. For many their mental health problems lead them to drugs before or even after treatment from drugs from big Pharma. So do not just look at pot smokers as losers because they could be trying to mask the pain they are really going through.
This is part 2 of 3 in this series on the decriminalization of marijuana. Keep a lookout for part 3 in the near future.
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