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Why Is Marijuana Use Becoming More Invisible?

Marijuana is becoming deregulated across the country, with more pop up shops selling CBD oil, hash, and other products. Advertisements speak to the positive benefits of using marijuana, particularly for medical ailments. This can be increasingly triggering for people in recovery, but it also belies the fact that more people are using marijuana but may be hiding it from loved ones due to stigma and other reasons. Find out why people are using marijuana on the sly and how to know if a loved one needs help.

Legalized Cannabis

One of the challenges of legalized cannabis is increased access to a product that still has not been scientifically proven to be wholly positive without negative side effects. People can quickly go from consuming cannabis on occasion for a condition to daily use. Even in small doses, the drug can have negative repercussions for a person’s mental and physical health. Cannabis is a real public-health threat. State and local governments are set to benefit financially from more people using the product, but more Americans may be hiding their use, even as it becomes ‘socially acceptable.’ 

Challenging Issues

Whatever the type of use, people have reported side effects of smoke or ingesting marijuana for different reasons. One of the main challenges is having trouble quitting the drug. They may smoke more than intended, neglect responsibilities, and not even realize the harm it is causing. Other issues of concern are things like concentration, short-term memory, and motivation. Even though the drug is still a Schedule I drug, with no accepted medical use, it is in the middle of a battle to become widely accepted for medicinal benefits. Schedule I drugs:

  • Have a high potential for abuse
  • Have no currently accepted medical treatment use
  • Lacks accepted safety for use under medical supervision

With these criteria remaining, there are some broader issues to tackle when it comes to marijuana use. 

Addictive Potential

The invisible portion of marijuana users suggests that people still fight the stigma around their use. Not only that but when they hide their use, family members struggle to know how best to support and help them through a difficult struggle. The real risks lie in the fact that people may not be monitoring their use. The challenge is overcoming the idea that using marijuana is totally harmless when, in fact, it is not. Everyone is being targeted who may need a little bit of relaxation at the end of the day on up to people suffering from cancer. Combine this with people not believing a person needs help and they start to feel alone. Isolation can cause polysubstance use, also, including alcohol or other drugs. There is a real threat and danger of the user becoming too much for that person to quit on their own and they need professional intervention. They will need lots of support from family, friends, and loved ones to tackle substance abuse. It is difficult to do alone, so they will need the support of doctors, family, and friends who know their condition, their struggles, and offer to find them the help they need to come out of hiding, into the light, and seek proper help for dependence and addiction.

The Guest House is based on a Therapeutic Communty model. Palmetto helps treat people as a person by offering individualized plans and support. Our goal is to help identify where you need help and support your goals moving forward. We help professionals, along with others, who battle marijuana addiction and substance abuse. Call us to find out more: 855-483-7800.