Cannabis Addiction | Signs, Symptoms & Effects

MRI scans have shown changes in the grey and white matter and connectivity in the brains of people suffering from cannabis addiction. These alterations involve brain areas that help you carry out tasks. Some studies have found these changes to persist even after cannabis use has stopped.

Cannabis can permanently affect how well you think and concentrate. It affects short-term memory, making you forgetful while also affecting your motivation. Sleep problems are common, alongside losing appetite, feeling tired and irritable and experiencing mood swings. Long-term use can lead to low energy, low self-esteem and dissatisfaction with life.

Cannabis smoke contains many of the same cancer-causing chemicals as tobacco. Long-term use carries the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and respiratory cancers.

Smoking cannabis with tobacco puts you at risk of becoming addicted to nicotine, compounding the difficulties you may face when trying to quit alone.

Memory loss, anxiety, and panic attacks are common results of cannabis abuse.

Most cannabis sold illegally in the UK is a strong kind known as skunk, linked to a higher risk of mental health episodes. Heavy, regular use of skunk can cause short-lived paranoia severe enough to require hospital treatment. It can also send you into a psychotic state.

Cannabis increases your risk of developing mental illness, especially if you use it at a young age.