Marijuana Addiction Treatment & Rehab

These are the sorts of thoughts that can consume every waking minute of the day for people with a marijuana addiction issue. Rather than focusing on the good things in life, they’re exclusively focused on the drug and what it can (or can’t) do for them.

Life like this is hard, but everything can change in an instant. As soon as people agree to get help for a marijuana addiction, they can see everything about their lives change for the better.

Is Marijuana Truly Addictive?

Marijuana advocates would have people believe that this is a drug that’s organic, harmless, safe, and completely benign. In short, they want others to believe that marijuana doesn’t cause any addictive problems whatsoever. Unfortunately, that’s not an opinion that’s borne out by science.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) suggests that about 9 percent of people who abuse marijuana will develop an addiction to the drug in time.1 And that risk rises to 17 percent if users start a marijuana habit during the teen years, and it rises to 25-50 percent in those who use the drug every day.^1,2

Marijuana use carries the risk of addiction and long-term health consequences. If you or someone you know is addicted to marijuana, American Addiction Centers (AAC) – the leading treatment program in the U.S. is here to help. Contact us at You can speak confidentially with an admissions navigator for help getting access to our successful substance abuse programs.

The active ingredient in marijuana, THC, latches to receptors in the brain and triggers chemical reactions associated with bliss and relaxation. It’s a chemical manipulation, and the brain resists that process by turning off or shutting down receptors. The brain is, in other words, altered by marijuana. In time, the brain will function at an optimal level only when there’s marijuana available.

When people develop an addiction, they can experience irritability and restlessness when they try to stop marijuana use. They can develop deep cravings for marijuana that can interrupt their sleep, their work, and their hobbies. This is another hallmark of addiction, and it’s a known risk with marijuana use.

They can struggle to meet friends, interact with family, or otherwise have social interactions unless they’ve used the drug first. They feel, at a deep level, that they need marijuana in order to handle day-to-day life, and that psychological addiction can be hard to overcome.

Take Our Marijuana Addiction Self-Assessment

Take our free, 5-minute marijuana addiction self-assessment below if you think you or someone you love might be struggling with a marijuana dependency. The evaluation consists of 10 yes or no questions that are intended to be used as an informational tool to assess the severity and probability of a marijuana use disorder. The test is free, confidential, and no personal information is needed to receive the result.

More on Marijuana

• Learn More About Addiction from Calling a 24-hour addiction hotline.
• Detox from Weed
• What Can It Be Laced With?
• Mixing With Opioids

What Is Legalization Doing to the State of Addiction and Rehab?

It might be harder, in some cases, to get people with marijuana addictions into treatment programs that can help. That’s because some states are moving to legalize marijuana, and proponents of legalization are shifting the conversation on addiction.

According to the
Office of National Drug Control Policy, proponents of marijuana perpetuate the notion that marijuana is harmless, and
that’s a message picked up by the mainstream press. Users may think their families just don’t understand the benefits of
marijuana, and they may feel validated by the legalization effort.²

As previously stated, young people who start using weed have a higher risk of developing an addiction than adults who start the habit.

This means states with legal pot could be growing huge crops of young people who use, and those young people might grow into adults with addictions and a need for recovery. Thankfully, there are treatment programs that can help.

Starting Marijuana Rehab Right Now

This drug is powerful and it can cause addictions. Those who get help may finally be able to stop their marijuana use. When
they do, new vistas of life may open up all around. It’s time to get started.

How Long Does Rehab for Weed Last?

Length of time for marijuana rehab may vary depending on your level of care, your personal needs, your financial needs, whether you experience any relapses, and other individual factors. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), you may progress through drug rehab at a different rate than your peers because every patient requires specialized services that target their needs. In other words, there is no predetermined length of treatment.⁸

With this in mind, some detox programs may last days to weeks. Sometimes, inpatient or outpatient treatment may last anywhere from days, weeks, or months.

Many researchers agree that successful treatment outcomes, such as prolonged abstinence and accomplishment of individualized treatment goals, are contingent upon adequate treatment lengths.

How Much Does Marijuana Rehab Cost?

The cost of marijuana rehab will depend on many different factors, including whether you have insurance, the level of care you need, and more. No matter the benefits of rehab, the proper rehabilitation treatment will typically far outweigh its costs. Additionally, rehab is typically covered by health insurance and sometimes rehabs offer a variety of payment options to fit your financial needs, including payment plans.

You can check whether your health insurance may cover substance abuse treatment through American Addiction Centers below.

Find Marijuana Detox Treatment Centers Near You

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  Sources:

  1. National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2020). Is Marijuana Addictive?
  2. Obama White House. (N.A.). Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Marijuana.
  3. Drug Policy Alliance. (2015). Marijuana Legalization in Washington State: One-Year Status Report.
  4. Colorado State Government. (2022). Marijuana Tax Reports.
  5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015). Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).
  6. Budney, A. J., Roffman, R., Stephens, R. S., & Walker, D. (2007). Marijuana dependence and its treatment. Addiction science & clinical practice, 4(1), 4–16. 
  7. National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2020). Available Treatment for Marijuana Use Disorders.
  8. National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2020). How Long Does Drug Rehab Last?