Cannabis Addiction and the Brain: a Review

Observe & Report

Well-Known Member
Yeah , it's dense! The finest minds of our generation have used the most sensitive instruments devised by humans to confirm that Cannabis is mildly addictive and withdrawing makes you cranky and sleepless for a little while.

The money shot is the second paragraph of the discussion (DA = Dopamine):

As described in the Koob and Volkow model (2016), most drugs of abuse result in the hyperactivation of the mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic reward pathway in the binge-intoxication stage of addiction. This hyperactivation seems to be present in cannabis addiction but to a lower extent. Acute THC administration elicits striatal DA release in animals (Bloomfield et al. 2016) and THC challenges were shown to increase striatal DA transmission in humans (Stokes et al. 2010; Bossong et al. 2015); although other studies have found no THC-induced increases in striatal DA (Barkus et al. 2011; Urban et al. 2012). Additionally, there are no baseline differences in dopamine D2/D3 receptor availability between cannabis users and healthy controls (Volkow et al. 2014c; van de Giessen et al. 2017), a finding that does not parallel addiction to other drugs of abuse (including cocaine, alcohol, methamphetamine, nicotine, or heroin) which is associated with substantial reductions in D2R availability in the ventral striatum (Wang et al. 1997; Volkow et al. 2001, 2014c, 2017c; Martinez et al. 2012; Albrecht et al. 2013; Tomasi et al. 2015a; Wiers et al. 2016a; Ashok et al. 2017). Nonetheless, as with other drugs of abuse, chronic cannabis use still results in blunted dopamine reactivity to a stimulant challenge (Volkow et al. 2014c; van de Giessen et al. 2017).
also interesting (CUD = Canabis Use Disorder):
Interestingly, chronic cannabis use is associated with a downregulation of CB1R – THC’s target receptor – that is restored after 4 weeks of abstinence in humans (Hirvonen et al. 2012). This pattern of abstinence-induced changes in target receptor density is also seen after abstinence from other drugs of abuse such as heroin, stimulants, and alcohol (in humans and animals) but with some caveats: the changes found are not consistent across brain regions for every drug and abstinence periods are not congruent between studies (Wang et al. 2012; Seip-Cammack et al. 2013; Ashok et al. 2017; Volkow et al. 2017c). Future studies should examine to whether changes in target receptors after abstinence are comparable across brain regions and if they follow the same time course in CUD and other SUD.
 

GroErr

Well-Known Member
That's essentially what I got out of it, good study, nice to see some science. But if you read into their findings it's much like @Observe & Report says, they refrain from calling it full blown addiction, although many of the markers are there. To me it really comes down to individuals, those who tend to have addictive personalities could certainly become dependent on it, like any other drug. Those that don't, like me, can go on/off it on a whim and never really notice it. The part I don't agree with is the section that discusses withdrawal symptoms, I frequently have to travel for work and go 3-4 days with no physical withdrawal symptoms. But I also refrain from constantly being stoned for the sake of being stoned, that could be a difference. Someone who can't control that and has access to endless supply might get some if they haven't been sober for weeks, months, years.

CUD would be a more appropriate term than addiction. Addiction to me is something you can't stop without significant physical withdrawal symptoms, a la opioids.
 

too larry

Well-Known Member
I stopped smoking {and growing} for 11 years. It was the social aspect that I had the most trouble with. I dreamed about smoking a lot. {I dreamed a lot after I stopped. Stopped dreaming when I started back smoking}
 

RetiredGuerilla

Well-Known Member
It's not addiction. It's just everything is funner while baked. All activities and events become more interesting if you're Chinese eyed. Food taste better high. Music sounds better and you can stay in time with the beat easier while stoned. People watching, plane and helicopter and boat rides hold on let me take a bong hit before we go. Even sex is better if you are fried. Strong psychological attachment is what it becomes.
 

tyler.durden

Well-Known Member
It's not addiction. It's just everything is funner while baked. All activities and events become more interesting if you're Chinese eyed. Food taste better high. Music sounds better and you can stay in time with the beat easier while stoned. People watching, plane and helicopter and boat rides hold on let me take a bong hit before we go. Even sex is better if you are fried. Strong psychological attachment is what it becomes.

 

LinguaPeel

Well-Known Member
Cannabis withdrawals are 3 days of increased symptoms which led to your use in the first place. And retailers know they can sell shitty pot this way. Something is better than nothing.. One gram at a time. If most people stopped smoking for a week.. They'd quit for good til some quality came around.

They could have just asked some people.. Been running out of weed since high school.
 
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