Is there a difference between marijuana abuse and marijuana addiction?
In the medical community, addiction is a complicated concept that is grounded in the ideas of tolerance and dependence. Addiction is a chronic disease condition that is influenced by genetic and environmental factors. People who become addicted to a substance may need the substance in greater doses and/or with greater frequency to achieve the same effect, and they start to depend on it physically, psychologically, or both; a key sign of dependence is withdrawal symptoms when the substance is discontinued. When a person abuses a substance, they use it in a way that is inappropriate for the situation they are in. Although it is possible for a person to abuse a substance without developing an addiction to it, abuse is often a step on the path toward addiction. In other words, if you notice a pattern of abuse, it may benefit your loved one to intervene on the chance that their behaviors could turn into addiction. What are the signs of marijuana use? Physical Clues • Smells like marijuana (
