Can Marijuana be useful without creating addiction?

I wonder if medical marijuana when used as prescribed can be useful without making someone dependent. It's not an issue for me at this point, since it's still illegal where I live. I do think it would help ease my pain if I moved somewhere that I could use it. The fear, as with other medications for pain, is that it could become habit forming or worse.

I seriously doubt it would be enough to make them dependent on it, it's not really that addictive in that way. If they're not using it for the high and were purely using it medicinally for a legitimate reason then I doubt they would even be concerned about it. However, if you use it for pain relief or to alleviate medical symptoms then, technically, aren't you already relying on it?

I am in favor of medical marijuana as long as the people who would use it for such reason wouldn't try to abuse it. So to answer your question, yes, I think marijuana can be useful instead of being harmful.

Wow, great question. Stop making me think so hard when I'm only on my first cup of coffee, lol. No, but seriously, that is a good question. I guess you are relying on it, but I think that's a bit different than being addicted to it. Isn't it?

Well, the difference would be that you are then relying on it to alleviate actual symptoms, rather than using it to get high or to experience a buzz. That would mean that you are using it to get rid of physical symptoms which is more akin to a physical addiction than using it recreationally is.

If we can get someone who has ever used medical Marijuana then they can talk from their experience. Medical Marijuana is never the best medicine than other medications. That is why only few countries have legalised its use. We also don't know the long term effects of medical marijuana, that is why I should not give it a first priority.

Respectfully, I'm not sure I can agree with your second statement. Considering the fact that some medications are more akin to heroin, I don't see how medical marijuana could be worse.

I do agree that we don't know enough about the long term effects, however, I feel that is true of most prescription or other drugs. You make a good point about asking someone who has used it for more information.

I think if it's used for a specific purpose, with attention paid to dosage and method of use, then it should be fine. I think the rule of thumb is always that moderation is the best answer.

I believe medical marijuana can be great for someone with PTSD. I have seen this first hand with a friend who is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. He is undergoing therapy and his medical practitioner approves of his marijuana use. He says that it calms his mind and makes him feel a stillness. He says he prefers marijuana over benzos because it is less addictive for him and he is afraid of the withdrawal side effects/seizures.

I don't think marijuana is an addicting drug. I have seen plenty of people drop it and never touch it again. I do believe however that marijuana causes a lot of people to want to try the next step of drugs such as heroin, which is addicting.

For me, anything that causes pleasure is subject to become an addiction. It all depends how often you do it and how long you've been doing it. I never got addicted to weed because I only smoked it on weekends, but I know some guys that practically brush their teeth with it. People usually smoke weed as a lifestyle, and that's where the real danger of becoming addicted lies.

Even if it is used as it is prescribed I suppose if it is taken for a long period of time dependence will develop in time. It's just like any other drug. There's no way to avoid this unless you alternate marijuana use with other pain relief medications. This would make it relatively harder for the person using the drugs to be dependent on any of them.

I reckon that a person won't be addicted if they use it in moderation like for their pain in the body which can be useful and it can be nice to see the good results when brought from a trusted source, as buying from an unknown source which people can buy it from and suffer later on. It is something which some people need to be aware of and also try and learn from the dangers which can affect them, and the mind and it can cause problems which may be hard to fix and can hope that they see the problems. I think that the use of marijuana can be alright for some people and also it can take time to get over the effects, and also reckon that people can make small changes to stop taking it and they need to see the bad consequences from it.

As per my sole and personal understanding, marijuana doesn't create physical dependence. You want to smoke marijuana due to many other factors, such as: peer pressure, the sensation it offers you etc.

I suppose that one way you could avoid the MENTAL addiction is to understand excessive usage of marijuana may lead to memory problems, although minor compared to what other drugs cause in your body.

When it comes to medical usage, then definitely I don't have anything against it; as for how much to smoke in order to not become addicted, then there is no answer for you.

Just be honest with yourself and use the smallest dosage possible that actually helps you. Make a commitment to stop immediately once you start wanting to use the drug for recreational purposes and not for its medical purposes.

The way I see it it's no worse than other prescription medicine. Most of the pain killers prescribed can cause overdoses and death, you couldn't even smoke the amount of weed it would take to cause that. I think that it's a better option. If you compare the side effects of marijuana to the side effects of other prescription pain killer it's less harmful or addictive.

I don't feel that marijuana can be physically addictive, but it can definitely because a psychological dependence, which is different, of course. I think nowadays marijuana is getting a really bad rep, but in my opinion this herb has more benefits than risks associated with it... specially if you are responsible when using it.

There are people who become dependent, but I agree with Tremmie, it's just not addictive physically the way nicotine and heroine are addictive substances. If you are in pain, it can't hurt to try. I do worry about friends I have that smoke pot and lose all ambition and drive... I think some people get addicted because it helps them avoid responsibilities and, when you're high, you don't feel bad about yourself. I, however, like marijuana (it's legal where I live) and think that, when used in moderation, it can be really helpful.

It's more and more common these days to use medical marijuana to ease whatever pains they're going through. It's fully regulated and the user as enough to relieve their symptoms, but not enough so they become dependant on it.

With that in mind, and under medical supervision, I think it is possible.

I think it will depends on various factors like there are some who seems to get addicted on substances compared to others. As you said, other medications can cause addiction like pain medicines and that could mostly happen too in the medicinal marijuana.