Legalization means cannabis is more widely used today than ever. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of myths floating around. Misinformation runs rampant making exploring cannabis myths and theories essential.
This article will be exploring cannabis myths and theories serving to debunk some myths, and taking a close look at common theories so you can discover the truth behind them.
Exploring Cannabis Myths and Theories
Marijuana is Not Addictive
Our journey of exploring cannabis myths and theories begins by looking at whether or not marijuana is addictive.
There is a lot of information floating around concerning marijuana’s potential to become addictive. The consensus today is, yes, marijuana is addictive. However, it has a lower prevalence of addiction as compared to many other drugs affecting only a small percentage of the population that uses it.
For a drug to be categorized as addictive it must cause withdrawal symptoms when people stop using it regularly. It must also cause the person to be unable to stop using it even though it interferes with aspects of their life.
According to reports, some people that have stopped using marijuana after regular use have reported irritability, decreased appetite, cravings, restlessness, and physical discomfort for up to two weeks after quitting. This occurs because the body adapts to having cannabis in its system and has difficulty functioning once the drug is no longer present.
It is estimated that only 9% of users become addicted to marijuana. However, the number rises to 17% for people that start using marijuana before the age of 18.
You Can’t Overdose on Weed
We continue exploring cannabis and myths theories pondering whether you can overdose on weed.
The truth is, you can overdose on weed. However, it’s almost impossible to fatally overdose on it.
If you take more weed than the recommended amount, you may experience symptoms like:
- Paranoia
- Dizziness
- Anxiety
- Loss of coordination
- Pale skin color
- Blood pressure spikes
- Delusions and hallucinations
- Headaches
- Unresponsiveness
- Rapid heart rate and chest pain
However, a 1988 petition from the DEA stated that a person would need to consume 15,000 pounds of cannabis within 15 minutes for it to be fatal. Note, it’s also likely for cannabis to be dangerous if it’s mixed or taken with a harmful substance.
You Can Cheat A Drug Test
Hopeful though you may be, this part of exploring cannabis myths and theories comes up as absolutely false.
While there are many products that are advertised to flush your system, the only way to cheat a urine test is to substitute your urine with someone else’s, which is not so easy to do.
There are dilution teas on the market that are said to produce negative outcomes, but these can be detected in urine tests as well. They will cause the test to come back as invalid.
Here are some guidelines that will let you know how long you must wait for drug to leave your system depending on usage:
- If you use weed up to 3 times a week: 3 days
- If you use weed up to 4 times a week: 5-7 days
- If you use weed once daily: 10 -15 days
- If you use weed multiple times a day: 30 days
Cannabis a Gateway Drug
The next step in exploring cannabis myths and theories involves looking into whether cannabis is a gateway drug.
It has long been thought that people that use cannabis will eventually move on to using heavier drugs and committing acts of violence. This is a myth common in exploring cannabis myths and theories perpetuated by Harry Aslinger, head of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics back in the 1930s.
Since then, the National Institute on Drug Abuse has set the record straight stating that most people who use cannabis do not move on to harder substances. People that do move on to harder drugs often do so because they interact with people who use harder drugs which increases their chance of trying them.
The fact that cannabis is not a gateway drug is backed by an Institute of Medicine study showing there is “no conclusive evidence that the drug effects of (cannabis) are causally linked to the subsequent abuse of other illicit drugs.”
In fact, some studies have revealed that cannabis can reduce opioid dependence thanks to its pain-relieving properties.
More Potent Cannabis Means Better Quality
The final concept in exploring cannabis myths and theories involves whether more potent cannabis means better quality cannabis. This is decidedly not true.
When choosing a product, you need to determine which will work best to treat your symptoms and conditions. You may talk to a dispensary worker or your healthcare provider to help you decide on a type and cannabis dosage that best suits your needs. If they recommend that you take a relatively high dosage, you will want to find a potent product so you can consume less of it to get the desired effect.
Cannabis’s effectiveness depends on several factors. For example, you may choose a sativa weed which is primarily grown in hot, dry climates and is known for producing an energizing effect. Or you may choose an indica weed that is native to harsh, dry climates and is known for producing a calming effect.
The way weed hits will also depend on the terpenes and compounds it contains and how they work together. These are all factors that are just as important if not more important than potency.
Exploring cannabis myths and theories gives you a good idea of what’s true and what’s not. It helps you have educated conversations on all things cannabis related. Which of these surprised you the most?
