In my experiences, cannabis is about as addictive as coffee/caffeine.
By that, I mean it's unpleasant to quit after continuous usage due to various withdrawal side-effects but only for a relatively short period of time (3 or 4 days max).
By that, I mean it's unpleasant to quit after continuous usage due to various withdrawal side-effects but only for a relatively short period of time (3 or 4 days max).
I would agree quitting cannabis might actually be easier though. However, the only side-effect I really ever get that is somewhat annoying is insomnia, but that I why I started using cannabis in the first place.
I think your analogy holds. Most people only have a couple of days of symptoms after quitting caffeine. But if you're on 4+ cups a day and/or you have a sensitive physiology, quitting can be rough.
With weed I go through periods of using it constantly for a couple weeks, and then just getting bored with it and not using for months.
In comparison, I've smoked cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, and never had a problem quitting. Few days of craving after smoking for a few days, then kicked it. Coffee... brutal brutal brutal
That's comparing the extremes of cannabis administration. I do not utilized any of those methods of administration, so perhaps you are right on how badly it affects one. Then again, I imagine if people were snorting caffeine pills consistently, the withdrawals would be worse than a cup of green tea a day.
Oddly enough, I have never really noticed the irritability as a side-effect. I usually trend towards heightened levels of anxiety. The fog you speak of tends to dissipate for me after a few days to a week.
I didn't start using cannabis until I was in my late 20s almost 30s, and my brain was already fully developed by then (I guess?). So, perhaps that has something to do with it being easy to quit?
I'll say this, cannabis is no panacea, but I do find the benefits profound. There are some negative side-effects, but they are very benign in the grand scheme of life.
I am not anti-medicine by any means, but I will tell you this much. Cannabis has been better in terms of efficacy and side-effects than the one anti-anxiety medication I tried back in the day. Cannabis was far easier to quit too.