New York, Jan 26: Withdrawal from heavy use of marijuana is like quitting smoking and produces similar symptoms including anger, irritability and restlessness, according to a new study.
But problems sleeping are more frequent for people cutting out pot, while mood swings are worse for those trying to kick the cigarette habit.
"These results indicate that some marijuana users experience withdrawal effects when they try to quit, and that these effects should be considered by clinicians treating people with problems related to heavy marijuana use," Ryan Vandrey, of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, said in a statement.
He and his team compared the impact of quitting on 12 heavy users of both marijuana and cigarettes during a six-week study published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence.
The six men and six women who took part in the research
were randomly chosen to stop smoking cigarettes, marijuana or both. They reported their symptoms on a daily basis.
All of the participants had used pot at least 25 days a month and smoked at least 10 cigarettes a day. Daily toxicology tests were also done to confirm abstinence.
Half of participants said they found it easier to abstain from both substances than it was to give up either one.
Vandrey said the findings have important implications because of the lack of data on marijuana withdrawal. Until recently, this has led to these symptoms not being included in medical reference literature.
"Since tobacco withdrawal symptoms are well documented ... we can infer from the results of this comparison that marijuana withdrawal is also clinically significant and should be included in these reference materials and considered as a target for improving treatment outcomes," Vandrey added.
Marijuana is the most widely used illegal drug in the Unites States, according to Vandrey. Admissions in substance abuse centers for pot have more than doubled since the early 1990s.
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