Understanding the long-term side effects of marijuana can help you know whether you need to reach out to an addiction treatment center. Marijuana, just like any other drug, has caused many to struggle with substance abuse. However, marijuana addiction treatment programs can help you heal and maintain recovery for life.
Marijuana is one of the most abused drugs. In 2015, the National Institute for Drug Abuse established that 11 million youths in the U.S. ranging from 18 to 25 used the drug in 2014 alone. Many more adults use marijuana regularly. Since this drug is so widely used, a huge population could be suffering from long-term side effects of the drug.
What Is Marijuana?
Marijuana refers to a mixture of cannabis flowers that comes in green-greyish color. Some commonly used names used in place of marijuana include herb, ganja, weed, and pot. Marijuana can be smoked in a joint, a blunt, or a pipe, and many individuals use water bongs or vapes to inhale it as well. While marijuana is legal for recreational use in some states, it’s not legal across all of America, and those who use marijuana should be careful to follow local laws.
Why Do People Use Marijuana?
Many people use marijuana to achieve a high. It can help relieve stress and can cause some individuals to feel relief from feelings of anxiety.
In some states, marijuana is even prescribed by doctors to treat anxiety disorders or PTSD. However, not everyone knows that the effects of the drug can last in their bodies long after their last use.
Are There Any Short-Term Side Effects of Marijuana?
Anything that has long term effects can have short term effects as well. Marijuana’s short term effects include the following:
- Temporary memory difficulties
- Constant hallucinations
- Unreasonable panic
- Sense and identity loss
- Paranoia and anxiety
- Stroke risks
The above is a possible experience if you take marijuana. These could come anywhere between one to three days.
Long-Term Side Effects of Marijuana
When you continue using the drug for an extended period, you can experience marijuana’s long term side effects. These can be related to cognitive, cardiovascular, and respiratory functions of the body. They include effects such as:
- Breathing difficulty due to bronchial blockage
- Heart attack due to cannabinoids
- Impaired judgment and thinking
- Unemployment due to poor reasoning and poor coordination
- Lifetime dependence and cancer since it contains carcinogenic compounds
- A gradual decrease in IQ
Others include addiction to both opioids and marijuana, problematic relationships, and financial challenges.
Treatment for Marijuana Addiction
Even if you’re struggling with an addiction to marijuana, the good news is that this addiction will be treatable. You only need to identify the right rehab center to obtain the treatment. At San Antonio Recovery Center, we offer an addiction rehab program that can help you heal from the long term side effects of marijuana and build the healthy coping skills you need for sustainable recovery.
Apart from our marijuana addiction treatment program, you can also participate in our other treatment programs, which include:
- Rehab center for opiate addiction
- Rehab center for oxycodone addictions
- Anonymous meetings for alcoholics
- Drug addiction center for women
We offer a wide variety of therapies to help our clients heal from any underlying causes of addiction. You can always visit or schedule a call and learn what works best for you.
Don’t give in to the challenges of addiction as you have the chance to exercise control over it. In case you or a loved one needs quality treatment for marijuana addiction, call San Antonio Recovery Center at 866.957.7885, or contact us online to begin your recovery and learn the long term side effects of marijuana.
