Despite the popular wisdom about it being a harmless drug, marijuana can cause addiction in humans by overstimulating the endocannabinoid system, thus causing physical changes in the brain that make it much more challenging for them to stop its use. To be exact, an estimated 9 percent of all marijuana users will become addicted to marijuana, with their chances of becoming addicted rising with risk factors such as genes, stress, and usage patterns. For example, that 9 percent risk rises to 17 percent for marijuana users who started smoking in their teens and somewhere between 25 to 50 percent for marijuana users who smoke on a daily basis. Given these numbers, it should come as no surprise to learn that the 2013 National Survey on Drug Use and Health concluded that marijuana was responsible for 4.2 million out of the 6.9 Americans who were either addicted or abusing illegal drugs.
Still, it is worth noting that marijuana withdrawal is not life-threatening, though it is nonetheless an unpleasant process. In short, marijuana users start experiencing withdrawal symptoms on the second day of stopping, which tend to peak within the first week but can last up to two weeks in total. Throughout this period of time, marijuana users can expect to suffer from irritation, anxiousness, moodiness, restlessness, sleeplessness, stomach pains, and a lack of appetite. In some cases, the sleeplessness is known to persist past the two-week period, though at present, there is no way to tell who will and who will not experience said withdrawal symptom in the long run.
Summed up, there can be no doubt that marijuana can be dangerous to humans, not least because there is so much that remains unknown about the substance as well as the implications of its use for humans in the long run. For example, while we know a fair amount about the risk factors for becoming addicted to marijuana, we still don't know enough to predict who will and who will not become addicted. Furthermore, it should be mentioned that some people have been sold a substance called K2/Spice under the rather misleading name of "synthetic marijuana" in an attempt to capitalize on the popular wisdom about marijuana's harmlessness. Unfortunately, the effects of this synthetic cannabinoid are even less well-known, thus creating even more risk for marijuana users.
With that said, marijuana is believed to have medical uses, as shown by how the US Food and Drug Administration has approved marijuana-based medication for increasing appetite and reducing nausea. Some have claimed other potential uses such as reducing pain, combating inflammation, and mitigating muscle control problems, though no marijuana-based medications have been approved for these uses so far. Still, the 28 active research grants from the National Institute on Drug Abuse as of January 31, 2014 are sufficient proof of scientific interest in marijuana's medical potential, covering issues that range from pain and inflammation to autoimmune disorders and psychiatric disorders. Some are even looking into marijuana's potential as an adjunct to radiation therapy for targeting cancer cells.
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