In stark contrast to inflated fears depicted in decades past, most people today they consider cannabis to be relatively harmless. Although weeds are indeed less dangerous than some other drugs, they are not without risks.
In a study published Jan. 5, my colleagues and I found that 59% of people who used medical cannabis for chronic pain moderate to severe withdrawal symptoms if they stopped eating grass for hours or days.
Most U.S. states legalized cannabis for medical purposes, and 15 legalized it for recreational use. More people are using cannabis, especially older adults, in the perceived damage due to the use of weeds is steadily decreasing. Although many people report therapeutic benefits or enjoy recreational cannabis use, it is important that people understand possible risks of cannabis use also.
What does cannabis withdrawal look like?
Symptoms of cannabis withdrawal can include both physical and mental experiences that occur when someone decreases due to high or remains for some time without use.
When people regularly consume cannabis – for example, every day or almost every day – parts of the brain become addicted to cannabinoids, psychoactive chemicals in cannabis. Cannabinoids are naturally produced in the body, but at a much lower level than is found in most cannabis products. Among those who do not use herbs for hours or days, cannabinoid levels decrease and so do you experience withdrawal symptoms. These may include irritability, depressed mood, decreased appetite, difficulty sleeping, desire or craving for cannabis use, restlessness, anxiety, increased aggression, headaches, tremors, nausea, increased anger, strange dreams, stomach aches and sweating.
Symptoms of cannabis withdrawal usually disappear within one to two weeks of discontinuation when the body stops adapts to its own natural cannabinoid production. Unlike the withdrawal of certain psychoactive substances – such as alcohol – cannabis withdrawal is not life-threatening or health-threatening. But there is. Withdrawal from cannabis can also be quite uncomfortable, and people may end up continuing to use cannabis – even if they want to reduce it – just to avoid withdrawal.
How common are withdrawal symptoms?
To determine how common withdrawal symptoms are, we surveyed 527 people who used medicinal herbs for chronic pain with colleagues over two years. We found that 59% of people use medical cannabis for chronic pain had moderate to severe withdrawal symptoms. The most common symptoms were sleep problems, irritability, and anxiety.
We also found that cannabis withdrawal symptoms were more severe in younger people, people with mental health problems, people who had a longer history of cannabis use, and people who consumed it more often or in larger amounts. In addition, we found that cannabis smoking – rather than ingestion or topical use – was associated with worse withdrawal symptoms.
Our team also looked at how people’s withdrawal symptoms changed over time. Most had the same severity of withdrawal symptoms each time they stopped taking cannabis over the two years of the study, but about 10% – especially the younger ones – got worse over time. As with most addictive substances, reducing the frequency or amount of cannabis use can help alleviate these symptoms.
Our study examined people who use medical cannabis only for pain. But in another recent meta-analysis involving recreational and medical use, researchers found this 47% of frequent cannabis users experience withdrawal.
Cannabis may not be a demonic drug “Reefer Madness,” but even this is not a miracle plant with unlimited advantages and without disadvantages. Like the use of cannabis growing across the US, it is important that people understand that regular use can cause withdrawal, and that they know what these symptoms are.
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This article is republished from Talk, a non-profit news site dedicated to exchanging ideas from academic experts. He wrote: Lara Coughlin,, University of Michigan.
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Lara Coughlin receives funding from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.