Nevada residents have a choice to make later this year. A measure to legalize recreational marijuana will be on the ballot in a few short months. The big question is, how will this positively or negatively affect the residents of the Silver State? Mel Pohl, MD, FASAM, Medical Director of Las Vegas Recovery Center, was on with Joe Schoenmann of KNPR this morning discussing this very topic. According to a recent study from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAA), nearly 2.5 percent of adults in the United States suffer from Marijuana Use Disorder. This disorder is no different than any other substance use disorder. Some of the symptoms include:
- Strong Desire to take the drug (cravings)
- Difficulty in controlling use
- Continued use of marijuana despite negative consequences
- Increased tolerance
- Physical withdrawal
According to Dr Pohl, due to the increased potency of marijuana, chronic users can experience very real withdrawal symptoms upon stopping. “They feel uneasy, they get nauseated, they can’t sleep and that can go on for weeks,” says Dr. Pohl. The legalization of marijuana in our state will affect every single resident. It is important as voters that we understand both sides of this issue before we vote. Click here for the full article and radio interview.
