Addiction can quickly take over your life – whether it is an illicit drug addiction or prescription drug addiction. Cannabis, although commonly used in the UK, can be psychologically addictive.
Cannabis addiction can impact your life in numerous ways; it can not only affect you physically and mentally, but can impact relationships, finances, and your general way of life.
That’s why it’s so important to detox from marijuana and receive the right addiction treatment. Continue reading to learn more about cannabis, cannabis addiction, cannabis withdrawal symptoms – and of course, what to expect from a cannabis detox.
We’ll also be informing you how our friendly team of experts at Help4Addiction can help you safely and effectively detox from cannabis.
What is Cannabis?
Before we explore the ins and outs of cannabis detoxification, let’s discuss what cannabis is and the effects of the drug.
Cannabis is a Class B drug that comes from a bushy plant. Because of its Class B status, cannabis is illegal to consume, possess, and sell in the UK – with the maximum penalty for possession of cannabis being five years imprisonment or a £2,500 fine.
It is a commonly used drug in the UK, with statistics suggesting that a third of adults have tried cannabis in their lifetimes.
Also known as grass, dope, weed, or pot, cannabis is often used recreationally as a relaxant and intoxicant. That being said, the intended use tends to vary depending on the variety of cannabis. The three main cannabis varieties are Sativa, Indica, and Ruderalis – and you can find hybrid strains of ‘weed’.
You may be wondering why cannabis can make you feel intoxicated. This is due to the key psychoactive ingredient in cannabis – THC, short for tetrahydrocannabinol. This gives cannabis users the feeling of being ‘high’.
Read on to learn more about how cannabis can make you feel in the short-term, and some long-term effects of cannabis abuse.
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The Effects of Cannabis
Many people will take cannabis recreationally for its relaxing effects. However, cannabis can affect people in different ways – your experience with cannabis may be completely different to somebody else’s.
For example, the effects of cannabis can vary depending on the method of use. Many people will consume cannabis by smoking cannabis in a cannabis cigarette (a joint), a bong, a vape, or a blunt wrap. Cannabis can also be consumed orally through edibles or by using marijuana oil.
The effects of cannabis typically occur within a couple of minutes of smoking it. However, when it is consumed via edibles (for example, ‘weed’ brownies), the effects may not present for 45 minutes.
The effects of cannabis can also vary depending on the mood you’re in, your tolerance, the environment you’re in, your personality type, and the amount of cannabis you’ve consumed.
As well as feeling relaxed, you may notice an increased appetite (you may have heard of ‘the munchies’, as well as increased laughter. Some cannabis users also experience an increase in creativity, as well as temporary stress relief.
There are also some negative effects of cannabis. Some people experience paranoia, anxiety, nausea, and confusion. Cannabis can impact your mental health – surfacing mental health conditions or worsening existing mental health issues.
In the long term, if you smoke cannabis with tobacco you may experience unpleasant symptoms related to smoking such as respiratory issues.
Cannabis abuse may also increase the risk of developing cannabis use disorder – you may become addicted to cannabis.
Will Cannabis Show Up On A Drug Test?
Yes, cannabis can show up on a drug test – however, it depends on the nature of the drug test, and when you last consumed cannabis.
For example, a urine test may detect cannabis for 3-30 days after using, whereas a saliva test will only detect cannabis in your system for 24 hours after your last dose of cannabis. This means you’ll test positive if you’ve consumed cannabis within 24 hours.
Hair tests can detect cannabis for the longest amount of time – they can detect THC for up to 90 days after use. However, hair tests aren’t the most reliable options as they have been known to display false positive results.
Cannabis Addiction Explained
Because cannabis is so commonly used in the UK, many people believe that cannabis is 100% safe and not addictive. Unfortunately, this is not the case.
It’s possible to overuse and abuse cannabis – and develop a psychological addiction to the drug. Using cannabis frequently can lead to you developing an addiction. In fact, approximately 30% of people that use cannabis frequently develop symptoms consistent with cannabis use disorder. This may include cannabis cravings, lifestyle changes, and damaged relationships.
A key sign of ‘weed’ addiction is the need to smoke more cannabis to feel high – this indicates that you have an increased tolerance. Likewise, people with cannabis use disorder may stop partaking in hobbies or activities they once enjoyed – or use cannabis in situations they shouldn’t such as while driving or at work.
Cannabis is widely considered a habitually addictive ‘gateway drug’. A study found that out of a group of adults aged 26 or older that smoked cannabis before the age of 15, 62% used cocaine at some point in their lives. 54% of them also used prescription medications recreationally (abused prescription drugs), and 9% of them used heroin.
If you are struggling to control your cannabis use, you have the desire to stop smoking ‘weed’ but are unable to do so, or you feel as though cannabis is taking over your life, you likely have a cannabis addiction and would benefit from a cannabis detox and cannabis rehab.
Cannabis Withdrawal Symptoms Explained
Just like alcohol withdrawal and other drug withdrawals, cannabis withdrawal can affect you physically and mentally, presenting some distressing withdrawal symptoms.
If you smoke cannabis with tobacco, you could develop nicotine dependence and experience nicotine withdrawal symptoms as well as cannabis withdrawal symptoms.
Withdrawing from cannabis can be a difficult and sometimes long process, and you may experience unpleasant withdrawal symptoms, including a range of behavioural, physical and psychological cannabis withdrawal symptoms.
The cannabis withdrawal process can vary from person to person, depending on a range of factors such as addiction history, height, weight, and the severity of the addiction. A common withdrawal symptom can be irritability, but there are often many more – read on for more.
List of Marijuana Withdrawal Symptoms
When you suddenly stop using cannabis or drastically lower the amount of cannabis you’re used to, you may experience a range of unpleasant cannabis withdrawal symptoms. These can include both psychological withdrawal symptoms and physical withdrawal symptoms, such as:
- Irritability and anger
- Lowered appetite
- Anxiety
- Chills and/ or sweats
- Difficulties with sleep
- Strange dreams
- Symptoms of nicotine withdrawal (if you consume tobacco with cannabis)
What Does a Cannabis Detox Involve?
Undergoing cannabis detox can be difficult – but the cannabis detox process may feel a lot less daunting if you know what to expect.
Detoxification is the process of cleansing your body of a substance – during a cannabis detox, you will have no access to cannabis. The aim of detoxification is to overcome physical dependence or addiction.
There are typically three types of cannabis/ THC detox plans for cannabis rehab/ drug detox – a seven-day detox programme, a 14-day programme, and a 28-day programme.
The seven-day programme is the best choice if you have a brewing addiction, or don’t think your addiction is too severe. Many people can successfully detox from cannabis with a seven-day treatment programme.
For stronger and longer-term addictions, we recommend our 28-day detox program. However, many people opt for cannabis detoxing at home – whether you’re at home or recovering from addiction on an inpatient basis, you can still have a successful detox.
In many cases of drug addiction, our expert team at Help4Addiction will recommend a medical detox/medically assisted detox. However, medical supervision isn’t usually required during a cannabis detox as withdrawal symptoms are typically mild.
Cannabis addiction can typically be treated with a combination of counselling and abstinence. Upin detox from cannabis, you may proceed to cannabis rehab and receive therapy treatment to address the social, psychological and behavioural aspects of addiction.
Can I Detox from Cannabis At Home?
In short, yes – you can detox from cannabis at home as there are few health risks and it is not life-threatening. However, at Help4Addiction, we recommend that you speak to a professional before starting a cannabis detox.
Detoxing from cannabis at home can be done safely and effectively – however, at home, you may be more tempted to resume your cannabis use. This is because you will remain in the surroundings where you once became addicted to cannabis.
Likewise, at home, you may have access to cannabis, which can make detoxing from cannabis difficult. To overcome this issue, some people prefer to detox from cannabis in a safe environment – at a rehab facility.
We don’t recommend that you detox from cannabis ‘cold turkey’. This is when you stop taking a drug suddenly without any support. At Help4Addiction, we can ensure you receive the professional help and support you need when detoxing from cannabis – read on for more.
How Help4Addiction Can Help You
At Help4Addiction, we understand that addressing drug abuse and drug addiction can be difficult – and it can be daunting to seek addiction treatment.
This is why our team of friendly addiction experts can help you find the right addiction treatment. We are in contact with rehab clinics located around England and Wales – from luxury rehab centres to NHS-operated rehab centres.
Whether you’re based down south, in the Midlands, or up north, we can help. As well as marijuana detox centres, we can help with alcohol addiction, heroin addiction, cocaine addiction, and much more.
Often, cannabis addiction requires more than just a detox – further treatment is needed to help reduce the risk of relapse. Therapy in addiction, whether it be group therapy, CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy), or counselling, can help you to understand more about yourself and your addiction, learn coping skills, and ultimately, build your resilience and confidence.
If you’re wondering how long rehab takes, there is no simple answer – it can vary from person to person. However, cannabis rehab can last anything from seven days to over three months. The recovery process may take longer if you choose to receive secondary treatment.
Contact us today to discuss your treatment options – you don’t have to deal with addiction alone. We can find the right treatment plan for you that suits your needs and preferences. Likewise, if you’re addicted to other drugs or other substances, we are here for you.
About Author
Nicholas Conn
Nicholas Conn is a leading industry addiction expert who runs the UK’s largest addiction advisory service and is regularly featured in the national press, radio and TV. He is the founder and CEO of a drug and alcohol rehab center called Help4addiction, which was founded in 2015. He has been clean himself since 2009 and has worked in the Addiction and Rehab Industry for over a decade. Nick is dedicated to helping others recover and get treatment for drug and alcohol abuse. In 2013, he released a book ‘The Thin White’ line that is available on Amazon.
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