Marijuana Addiction and Genetics

When it comes to getting addicted to a drug like marijuana well not just marijuana but many drugs really, it’s a bit like the situation with people who become alcoholic, some people do and some people don’t and what people who study genetics and DNA can now prove is that there is often a genetic predisposition as to how likely you are to get addicted to these sort of drugs, it’s seems to be that to get addicted to drugs like alcohol, cocaine, speed, marijuana, ect, not the really addictive ones that most who use get addicted to like meth and heroin, but the ones that some do and some don’t, what scientists are now finding is that people who get addicted to these kind of drugs often have is a genetic predisposition for doing so, there is usually something different in their DNA to those who use them without becoming addicted. It’s this kind of genetic makeup that can make you prone to all kinds of addictions including marijuana. Now obviously having this genetic predisposition doesn’t automatically mean you are going to get addicted to something, the environment has it’s part to play too, if you never take any kind of drugs then obviously this is not going to happen, but having this predisposition does appear to significantly increase your chances and that’s just the biology of the situation whether you like it or not, yeah it sucks I know but unfortunately people have genetic predispositions to all kinds of diseases not just addiction. And that’s what addiction is, it is simply a disease that happens within the brain from using a particular drug for too long an amount of time, which results in the person been dependent on it and unfortunately your genes do significantly affect the chances of those who use drugs of getting it.

Anyway that’s about it in a nut shell, there’s nothing that complicated about it and it’s been known for quite some time now, it still mystifies me when people say but you can’t be addicted to marijuana I have used it for a number of years and managed not to become addicted, fortunately they probably don’t have the biological predisposition which makes them as likely to get addicted to a drug like marijuana. Why this argument keeps cropping up time and time again I have no idea, I mean you wouldn’t say to an alcoholic you can’t be addicted to alcohol because I have drank regularly for years and not had it happen to me, I guess it is just ignorance of the biology of what is going on that makes people laugh at the idea of it and a dismiss the idea it is actually possible. Anyway this information has been around for some time now, so it really it’s time to end this kind of ignorance, marijuana is a drug and just like most recreational drugs it is possible for some to become addicted to it and you only have to read a few of the stories here to realise to go around saying that no one can ever get addicted to weed at all is dam right ignorant and irresponsible.

Incidentally the same appears to go for those who experience other health problems and negative effects, which is something else people get abused and ridiculed for saying they have experienced as a result of using marijuana, especially when it comes to mental health. It wouldn’t be considered socially acceptable to do that to someone who suffered from any other disease or illness so I don’t why it is with people who suffer from this. It’s really not fair to say someone is “weak” because of a disease that may to a certain extent be caused by their genes, it’s almost fascist, not that I think people are intentionally trying to be that way, I think it’s just ignorance of the situation, most people probably aren’t aware of the link between addictions and genetics.

If you are having problems with cannabis addiction you may want to visit the Marijuana Addiction Forum.