# Is marijuana addictive?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-marijuana-addictive/119722>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [July 19, 2002, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-marijuana-addictive/119722 "2002-07-19T00:17:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![cainxinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7bcc69/32.png) [@cainxinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cainxinth)\
**Post date:** [July 22, 2002, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-marijuana-addictive/119722/21 "2002-07-22T00:37:00Z")

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“Is marijuana addictive? Yes, in the sense that most of the really pleasant things in life are worth endlessly repeating.”  
-Richard Neville

oh and **MrVisible** , $200 a pound? Where do you live, Jamaica?

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**Author:** ![jharek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9dc877/32.png) [@jharek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jharek)\
**Post date:** [July 22, 2002, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-marijuana-addictive/119722/22 "2002-07-22T02:00:40Z")

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How old are you tracer? I didnt take my first puff until 21. I would say that is a good time to first enjoy it.

During High school and first part of college isnt the most intelligent thing to do…

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**Author:** ![MrVisible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@MrVisible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrVisible)\
**Post date:** [July 22, 2002, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-marijuana-addictive/119722/23 "2002-07-22T05:27:34Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Mr2001 \*  
> Am I the only one offended by the implication that drug users are trying to escape from a reality they can’t cope with?

Nope. It’s a pretty offensive notion. It’s a pretty common notion, though; you’re an addict because you’re weak. Complete, unaldulterated falsehood, of course, but it makes addiction make sense to some uninformed nonaddicts.

It’s that kind of myth that makes quitting so much tougher. “Wow, I’m addicted, so I’m a weak person. I guess I’d better quit. But hey, I’m a weak person, so I can’t quit.” Knowing the real mechanics of addiction is much more productive. Having people around with facile, quick-fix pop-psychology ‘answers’ like “what can’t you cope with in your life” and “you’re just hiding from something” is just another obstacle on the road to sobriety.

Recovery is a tough task, no matter what you’re addicted to. It takes strength, and dedication, and faith, and hard work. Getting addicted, however, is really, really easy.

**jharek** , I was 20 when I first smoked, or for that matter, drank. My awesome maturity at that age didn’t keep me from being addicted. Your mileage may vary.

And to those of you who want to know about that transaction, forget it. You really, really don’t want my contacts from those days. Really. It’s kinda funny, you asking where I was, though… my location is listed right under my username.

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