Marijuana addiction is possible, contrary to popular assumptions. Heavy, regular, and prolonged pot usage can lead to addiction and physical dependence.

There may be alterations in the human body’s epigenome resulting from cannabis usage, according to research involving over a thousand adults.The epigenome functions as a series of switches, activating or inactivating genes to alter how our bodies function.

“After the study was published in 2023, we observed associations between the cumulative use of marijuana and multiple epigenetic markers over time,” Northwestern University epidemiologist Lang Huang Hou said.
Hou and a group of American academics claim that 49% of Americans have at least tried marijuana, indicating the drug’s popularity in the country. Although it is legal in some US states as well as other nations, its effects on human health are yet unclear. Researchers looked at a long-term study involving 1,000 people and asked them about their marijuana use over a 20-year period. During this time, the study participants provided blood samples twice, at the ages of 15 and 20. At the beginning, or “year 0,” they ranged in age from 18 to 30.
Hou and his team studied epigenetic alterations, specifically DNA methylation levels, of individuals who had used cannabis lately or for a long time using these blood samples that were taken five years apart.
Adding or removing methyl groups from DNA is a highly researched epigenetic alteration.Because these molecular alterations in the genome’s path make it more challenging for cells to read the instruction handbook, this modifies gene activity without altering the genomic sequence.

The National Institute for Drug Abuse published the most typical effects of marijuana use

Effects in the short term (during or immediately following use)

Cannabis overstimulates the regions of the brain with the highest concentration of particular brain cell receptors that typically respond to naturally occurring THC-like substances. This gives one the feeling of being “high.” Additional impacts consist of:

Changed senses (seeing brighter colors, for example)

changed perception of time, emotional swings, and reduced motor function
decreased memory, trouble thinking and solving problems, and (when taken in high amounts) hallucinations
delusions (from high dosages)
psychosis (the risk is higher when high-potency cannabis is used frequently).

Cannabis influences brain development as well. When cannabis use starts in adolescence, it can impair thinking, memory, and learning as well as affect the brain’s capacity to form connections between the regions required for these processes. Researchers are still looking into the effects of cannabis’ longevity and potential for long-term effects.

Effects that may not be permanent but endure more than a few days

issues with memory and learning
sleep issues
Effects over time (repercussions of recurrent use)

Marijuana addiction risk

persistent issues with memory and learning
If excessive use starts when a person is young, there is a chance that they will develop a chronic cough, bronchitis,
schizophrenia in rare cases, and a repeated bout of extreme nausea and vomiting.

Additional health impacts of marijuana

Effects on the Body

breathing issues
elevated heart rate
issues with the development of the unborn child both during and after pregnancy Severe nausea
and vomiting

Impact on the brain

In certain cases, long-term cannabis usage has been connected to mental disorders, including: transient hallucinations
Patients with schizophrenia, a serious mental illness characterized by symptoms like hallucinations, paranoia, and disorganized thought processes, may experience momentary paranoia that worsens their symptoms.
Cannabis use has also been linked to various mental health issues in teenagers, including anxiety, depression, and suicide thoughts. But more investigation is still required.
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health provides the following additional information:
11.8 million young adults, or 35.4% of the total, reported smoking cannabis in the previous year in 2021.
In 2022, 6.3% of 12th graders reported using cannabis every day, while 30.7% of them reported using it in the previous year.
In 2022, 2.1% of 12th grade students reported vaping cannabis every day, and roughly 20.6% of them said they had done so in the previous year.
The Monitoring the Future survey indicates that during the late 1990s, rates of cannabis usage among middle and high school children have stayed largely consistent from the previous year.
After alcohol and tobacco, cannabis is the addictive substance that is used most frequently.3. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that study indicates that 3 out of 10 cannabis users may have a cannabis use disorder, which is characterized by an inability to stop using cannabis despite its negative effects on their health and social lives. The risk of developing a cannabis use disorder is higher for those who start using cannabis before the age of 18 and for those who use it often (daily or very daily).

Reasearch

Blood biomarkers can provide information about past and present exposures, and environmental and lifestyle factors can cause these methylation changes. Future generations may inherit these changes.

“We previously identified associations between marijuana use and the aging process as captured through DNA methylation,” Hou stated.

“We wanted to further explore whether specific epigenetic factors were associated with marijuana and whether these factors are related to health outcomes.”

The individuals’ extensive cannabis use data enabled them to estimate their cumulative usage over time and current use, and to compare this information with DNA methylation markers in their blood for study.

In the 15-year blood samples, they discovered a large number of DNA methylation markers—22 linked to recent marijuana use and 31 to cumulative cannabis usage. They found 16 markers associated with cumulative usage and 132 markers associated with recent use in the samples collected at the 20-year mark.

“Interestingly, we consistently identified one marker that has previously been associated with tobacco use,” Hou said, “suggesting a potential shared epigenetic regulation between tobacco and marijuana use.”
Numerous epigenetic alterations linked to marijuana use have previously been connected to conditions such as hormone signaling, infections, cellular proliferation, neurological illnesses like bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, and drug use disorders.
It’s crucial to remember that this study did not establish a link between cannabis use and any of these changes or health issues.
According to Northwestern University epidemiologist Drew Nannini, “this research has provided novel insights into the association between marijuana use and epigenetic factors.”
“More research is required to ascertain whether these correlations are reliably seen across various populations. Furthermore, research on how marijuana affects age-related health outcomes may shed further light on marijuana’s long-term effects on health.”
Molecular Psychiatry has published the study.
This story was first published in July 2023 in a different version.

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