Marijuana addiction treatment at Woodland Recovery Center Mississippi gives people the tools and knowledge people might need to begin their recovery from addiction, including knowing the differences between hemp and marijuana. If you or someone you care about is interested in marijuana addiction treatment in Mississippi, reach out to Woodland Recovery Center today by calling 662.222.2989 or completing our online contact form.
Hemp, Marijuana, and THC
Hemp and marijuana may look and smell alike, but their chemical properties are different, and that is what sets them apart. This is a significant difference that puts a lot of the misinformation around hemp into perspective. That’s because the chemical responsible for the high feeling brought on by marijuana consumption is barely found inside hemp. It’s called Tetrahydrocannabinol but is known as THC. You won’t feel any euphoria or get high from smoking or consuming hemp. It’s also one reason why that hemp necklace you had is completely harmless.
What Are the Uses of Hemp?
Hemp has been found in archaeological digs throughout what was ancient Mesopotamia, and both hemp cloth and rope have been found to date back 6,000 years. It didn’t go away after that, though, because it was used in nearly every century since then. Necklaces, rope, and paper have all been made from hemp, but there is an incredibly large variety of uses for it. Hemp is being used to make:
- Paper products
- Textiles
- Molded plastics
- Body care products
- Construction products
- Livestock feed
- Livestock bedding
- Nutritional supplements
- Essential oils
- Medicines
There have even been cars made from hemp. It’s an incredibly versatile plant that has had its production within the United States limited due to misunderstanding its properties and confusing them with marijuana, though that has changed in recent years.
Can Hemp Be Used Like Marijuana?
No, it can’t, at least not in the sense that it will produce the euphoria associated with being high. Some people do smoke hemp, however, but there has so far been no research indicating it does anything other than draw smoke into your lungs. Some research has claimed that smoking hemp will lead to headaches, but that doesn’t seem to be largely agreed on. There are even more questions about the cannabidiol (CBD) content of hemp helping to lessen feelings of anxiety, but likewise, not a lot of research is consistent.
What Is CBD?
The cannabis plant genus produces a substance called cannabidiol, more commonly known as CBD. It’s what’s known as a cannabinoid and is one of over one hundred others found, including THC. You have most likely heard or seen information about CBD since it has somewhat recently been made legal to sell CBD products as long as they contain no, or under .3% of THC. A lot of health benefits have been attributed to CBD use, but the research is mostly inconclusive in a lot of cases.
Some research shows CBD may help with anxiety, chronic pain, and insomnia, but the results aren’t strong enough to say they definitely do. All cannabis plants produce CBD, which means marijuana does too. CBD that has been derived from a marijuana plant is illegal, while CBD derived from a hemp plant is legal.
How Marijuana Affects Your Brain and Body
Many studies have been done into how marijuana affects the brain and body, but also, there is
quite a bit of conflicting information throughout all of this research. Decreases in IQ, general memory loss, and cognitive decline have been linked to adolescents who begin using marijuana, but the conclusions aren’t consistent enough to establish a strong link. That means marijuana has not been proven to necessarily be the main factor in IQ loss, memory loss, and cognitive decline. Studies have tried to determine if THC affects the hippocampus, a part of our brains designated for memory processing, but the studies are usually conducted using animals rather than humans. Add to that the possibility of someone using marijuana alongside other drugs and substances. It becomes harder to determine what exactly caused the decline, or even if the decline was due to anything other than aging and genetics.
Marijuana has been shown to have serious adverse effects if used by pregnant women and lead to dangerous driving situations. Because of the euphoria marijuana can bring on, it is in fact possible for someone to become dependent on or addicted to it.
Choose Woodland Recovery Center for Marijuana Addiction Treatment in Mississippi
Some people might view marijuana addiction as relatively harmless, but the truth is that any substance that controls a person’s life is dangerous. If you or a loved one might benefit from marijuana addiction treatment, contact Woodland Recovery Center Mississippi today by calling 662.222.2989 or filling out our online form.
