A few thoughts on "Can I get addicted to weed?"

A few thoughts on "Can I get addicted to weed?"

Ever wondered what it takes to say "no" to something almost everyone around you seems relaxed about? This LOL Sober instalment shares Nelson H.'s take on the classic question: "Can I get addicted to weed?" and why his answer is very personal.

Nelson, an alcoholic addict writing under a pen name, talks about growing up in a time when "weed was like, you're going to jail if you get busted" and contrasts that with today's laid-back attitudes, where public "weed clouds" feel almost routine. He walks through how many people separate marijuana from harder drugs and debate whether it's "physically addictive" or "mentally addictive". Using his own experience of addiction, Nelson compares weed to everyday things like donuts, money and love.

For him, the issue isn't just whether something causes medical withdrawal; it's whether an addict brain can latch onto it in an unhealthy way. As he puts it, "for somebody who's an addict, such as myself, anything that changes my mood, it should be treated as potentially addictive until proven otherwise." One of the most striking parts of the episode is his story about a new podiatrist treating his chronic foot pain after having the ends of his feet amputated.

Even though he explains his recovery and refuses mood-altering medication, she lightly suggests "just take one or two Benadryl" once in a while. Nelson describes how familiar this kind of advice is: people saying "well, just don't do it then" or "only drink three beers" as if addiction were that simple. His bottom line on weed is clear: "Is weed addictive? ...

my answer is yes, for me." He doesn’t try to settle the science or predict future laws; he just knows he can't afford to experiment. If you've ever wondered where your own line is with mood-changing substances, this thoughtful, funny and honest chat might get you asking some useful questions about what "addictive" really means for you.