Cannabis Addiction

Executive Director of Narconon Arrowhead Gary W. Smith reports, ‘Although the number of people coming to us who are abusing pot is a smaller percentage of our total clientele, in the 30 years I have been in the drug rehabilitation field I have not seen these numbers of individuals literally hooked on marijuana and unable to stop on their own. We’ve known for a long time that marijuana use can lead to other drugs but it is shocking to see people whose lives are being destroyed by smoking pot just like others we are treating who are addicted to crack or alcohol. I believe this is happening because the strength of the pot that is being smoked today is probably ten times stronger than the pot of 20 years ago.’

Alcoholism is an addiction to alcohol. Addiction is defined as a condition characterized by repeated and compulsive seeking and use of drugs, alcohol, or other substances despite adverse social, mental, and physical consequences. In severe alcoholism cessation of use can cause delirium tremens and be life threatening. Medical withdrawal is vital in these situations and needs to be evaluated by competent and informed medical professionals. Following a full withdrawal from alcohol use the alcoholic’s health and nutrition levels need to be monitored and a program to return them to a health nutritional balance is needed. Follow up with a full addiction program to address the cravings, guilt, and depression are vital to creating an alcohol free productive life for the individual.

Rehabilitation means to restore to a previous state or condition. So what exactly does this mean when applied to drug or alcohol rehabilitation? An effective rehabilitation will address both mental and physical conditions that have been altered and worsened as a result of the addiction. Ceasing drug or alcohol use is usually the easier of the problems relating to drug and alcohol abuse. With correct medical and nutritional care and proper withdrawal regimens this can be gently and quickly achieved in a few days in most cases. Rehabilitation of the individual and the body follows. Cravings, guilt, and depression are among the key factors needing addressed and resolved in order to obtain lasting rehabilitation and a return of previous abilities, behavior levels, and personal drive. A truly effective drug rehab can actually put a person in even better mental and physical shape than he was prior to the onset of drug or alcohol abuse. When the factors which cause the original abuse are handled and tools for the future obtained, the need or desire for further drug or alcohol abuse tends to fall away and not return. Narconon Arrowhead is such a program and routinely delivers such results.

Methamphetamine addiction is growing at alarming rates in all areas of the country and has reached epidemic proportions. All drug addiction takes you one of two places unless sobriety for a lifetime is achieved – death or jail. Methamphetamine takes one on this downward slide with alarming speed. Methamphetamine quickly burns up the body’s resources creating horrible dependence that can only be relieved by more of the drug. In 2005, 58% of all U.S. law enforcement personnel identified methamphetamine abuse and addiction as their biggest drug problem.

At Narconon Arrowhead we do no refer to our participants as ‘patients’ but rather they are considered ‘students’. Using the word ‘patient’ tends to give an erroneous impression of illness and disease, which is not the main thrust of our program. Certainly issues of health and nutrition need to corrected, especially in the withdrawal and detoxification phases of the program. The term student is used as we are educating the individual into the use of the tools and abilities needed to sustain a continuous drug free productive life and to confront and resolve the three main factors behind relapse and continued use. Addiction is not a disease of a lifetime. It can and is being ended on a daily basis here a Narconon Arrowhead.