More people are addicted to marijuana, but fewer of them are seeking help, experts say

By LAURA UNGAR Associated Press Science Writer Megan Feller smoked pot several times a day and couldn t eat sleep or function without it But at the time she didn t see the need to reach out for help Related Articles Calling all passengers DIA seeks to lower noise levels across airport The present day in History November Elian Gonzalez rescued Lawmakers question legality of Demarcation Patrol license plate reader venture Judge dismisses Comey James indictments after finding that prosecutor was illegally appointed Chauncey Billups pleads not guilty in rigged poker games occurrence I didn t think cannabis was a big deal the -year-old reported It was really socially accepted This attitude is common As more states legalize marijuana use has become more normalized and products have become more potent But fewer of those who are addicted seek help for it Pot use among young adults reached historic levels in new years according to a federally supported survey Daily use even outpaced daily drinking with nearly million Americans reporting in that they use marijuana every day or nearly every day up from less than million three decades earlier Studies show a corresponding increase in cannabis use disorder when people crave marijuana and spend lots of time using it even though it causes problems at home school work or in relationships It s a condition that researchers estimate affects about in pot users and can be mild moderate or severe And it s an addiction despite the common misconception that that s not viable with marijuana mentioned Dr Smita Das an addiction psychiatrist at Stanford University Meanwhile the drug s widespread acceptance has fueled a stigma about seeking medication declared Dr Jennifer Exo of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation in Minnesota There s this pervasive belief that you can t become addicted it can t genuinely be a challenge she announced It has to do with this myth that cannabis is safe natural and benign Stronger weed bigger problems While pot isn t as harmful as harder drugs frequent or heavy use has been linked to problems with learning memory and attention as well as chronic nausea vomiting and lung problems among those who smoke it Several evidence has also linked it to earlier onset of psychosis in people with genetic peril factors for psychotic disorders like schizophrenia And currently s pot is not the same as that of the past A large number of people recall older relatives who smoked a minimal doobies and ate specific food and fell asleep Exo stated But it s absolutely different In the s greater part pot that people smoked contained less than THC the ingredient that causes a high Nowadays the THC potency in cannabis flower and concentrates sold in dispensaries can reach or more according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse Teens are often vaping potent marijuana concentrates Exo stated rather than eating brownies made with cannabis flower or taking a hit from a bong More access to marijuana rising ER visits Pot is also increasingly available Though it s still a federal crime to possess it states allow recreational use by adults and allow biological use as of late June the National Conference of State Legislatures revealed Dispensaries abound and more people are able to keep pot at home Research links the legalization of recreational marijuana with rising crisis room visits for acute cannabis intoxication in which patients may experience a rapid heartbeat or feel dizzy confused or paranoid A examination last year focused on Michigan uncovered that legalization was associated with an immediate increase in the rate of ER visits for this condition among people of all ages especially middle-aged adults Das revealed increased access to cannabis along with a growing number of cannabis products and with higher potency all contribute to rising ER visits Edibles such as gummies can pose a particular predicament because they take a little while to kick in so people may keep taking more because they don t yet feel the drug s effects Then suddenly they re suffering from cannabis toxicity she explained Why restoration is often overlooked Feller first tried pot at and speedily went from smoking the plant to using vape cartridges that were easy to hide in her pocket Soon she could barely get by without it I would wake up every morning for years and until I smoked weed I would throw up she revealed Instead of trying to get high she used it to make these other effects go away Feller was also drinking a lot and her parents sent her to a medication center when she was around It didn t help because she wasn t ready to get well After her mother died her substance use worsened At Feller entered Hazelden on her own but only to get sober from alcohol which she did She kept using pot on and off then completely sought medicine for cannabis use disorder and has been sober from marijuana for almost a year I m so much happier now she commented I don t feel like shackled to a substance Such restoration is often overlooked disclosed Brian Graves a researcher at Florida Atlantic University He and his colleagues published a review this year showing that the share of people who got healing for cannabis use disorder from their nationally representative sample dropped from in to in An earlier assessment also uncovered a marked decline and pointed to reasons that include expanding cannabis legalization and more tolerant attitudes Experts mentioned people need to be educated that pot like alcohol can be misused and can cause real harm Another fundamental piece is helping people understand the liability before they start Exo reported and then to feel safe enough to say Hey I need help managing this A large number of people wait until their marijuana use causes problems in multiple parts of their lives before they seek medication if they ever do If you re changing your life because of weed there might be an issue Feller added There are tools to get help and you are not alone The Associated Press Fitness and Science Department receives assistance from the Howard Hughes Physiological Institute s Department of Science Coaching and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation The AP is solely responsible for all content