According to studies, alcohol and drug addiction rates and deaths due to these addictions have increased hugely since the mid-90s, and people in America are battling against these addictions to overcome them. A study done by the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIADA) claimed that around 115 people die from opioid overdoses every day. Even there are studies that show how addiction is becoming life threatening and affecting the life of people adversely. Especially kids aged 12 and above are more likely to get indulged in alcohol or drug addiction, thereby ruining their future. 

But the best part is – there is a solution – Medical Marijuana! Ever since medical marijuana has become legal in several states, marijuana doctors have started recommending it to patients with chronic pain and other medical issues. However, many would not know that medical marijuana can even help with addictions. Yes, any type of addiction. 

A marijuana doctor prescribes cannabis for different conditions and one amongst them is addiction. More often than not, marijuana is prescribed to patients with chronic pain and anxiety. Believe it or not, medical marijuana is a natural medicine that helps resolve several medical problems and impacts a person’s life positively. It however, acts as a tool for doctors to help patients with their issues. 

Treating Addiction with Medical Marijuana

Besides being natural, medical marijuana has healing properties. It has the potential to intervene addictive disorders. Addictive behaviors can be classified into three distinct phases: 

• Intoxication: it is the state of being high on drugs or alcohol or any other hard substance.
• Withdrawal: it is the state where the addict experiences acute physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, pain, trembling, etc.
• Relapse: it is the final state and the most crucial as, in this state the addict experiences cravings for drugs after abstention. This phase is the most difficult state of addiction. It is the state where complete control is required, and if the addict loses his/her control over his mind, he is sure to fall back, which is not wise at all. 

How does Medical Marijuana help curbing addiction?

Besides providing myriads of benefit to patients with chronic pain, medical marijuana also interacts with the pain, behavior, and addiction related receptors in the brain. Medical marijuana has analgesic and anxiolytic properties. It simply reduces the brain’s response to addiction triggers such as pain, anxiety, and other symptoms associated with addiction. Therefore, marijuana doctor recommend medical marijuana to their patients with addiction. 

Cannabis can immediately mitigate all the symptoms associated with addiction such as, nausea, anxiety, pain, and stress without creating the artificial high. Cannabis’ analgesic properties co-act with opioids and act as opioid sparing agents, which leads to reduction in opioid doses.

Medical marijuana serves as an alternative to other hard substances, such as alcohol, opioids, and other drugs. More often than not, people with addiction find it really difficult to lead a normal life. If they don’t get their drug or alcohol on time, they start to feel stressed out, anxious, sudden body pain, etc. basically all these are triggers that make our body to respond adversely. However, using medical marijuana can take people with addiction to the state of mindfulness. It basically calms their mind and help them have a better sleep.

Besides, using medical marijuana also lead to the reduction in use of other hard substances such as alcohol, tobacco, opioids etc. And gradually it eliminates a person’s dependency on hard drugs. 

In addition to this, medical marijuana helps in withdrawal stages of the hard drugs. Yes, use of medical cannabis minimize the chance of retrogression to hard drugs. Believe it or not, it is not very easy for a person with an addiction to give up on hard drugs. Usually when people try to do it, they find it difficult to handle their desire to have drugs, as the addict experience lack of sleep, nausea, trembling, pain, etc.which make them go back to hard drugs again. However, medical marijuana is meant to treat such conditions by simply inducing sleep and appetite. Therefore, fort myers marijuana doctors recommend addicts medical cannabis. 

Moreover, medical marijuana contains psychoactive properties. Majority of addicts fall back due to the severe withdrawals, as these withdrawals are both painful and uncomfortable to the addicts. While, medical cannabis does not contain any withdrawal symptoms if used responsibly and conservatively.

AND FINALLY….

Ever since marijuana has become legal, most marijuana doctors have started recommending addicts medical marijuana, because they know how this natural substance can help addicts with addiction symptoms. Also, medical marijuana help addicts get rid of their addiction and lead a happy and normal life.