Weed Isn’t the Villain — But It’s Not Harmless Either

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COLUSA COUNTY - (Nov 2025 Feature Article) - Let’s talk about marijuana without the propaganda… and without pretending it’s a magical herb that never hurts anyone. Because both of those takes are BS.

Cannabis isn’t the devil. But it’s not harmless. And for some people, it’s the start of a long, quiet detour off course.

Most people who use marijuana won’t become addicted. But some will.

Roughly 1 in 10 adults who use cannabis develop dependence. Start young? That jumps to 1 in 6.

That’s not fear-mongering. That’s math.

And here’s the wild part:Today’s weed is not your uncle’s backyard stash from 1998. It’s stronger. It’s engineered. It hits faster. And it shows up in cookies, gummies, vapes, oils, dabs, and pens that look like high-end "fun" tech instead of drugs.

Which makes it easier to forget: Anything that changes your mood can change your trajectory.

“But Everyone Smokes Now”

Exactly. Marijuana use keeps climbing across all age groups — including during pregnancy. At the same time, fewer people believe it carries any risk at all.

That combo should make us pause.

Because here’s what doesn’t get posted on Instagram:

• Some people lose motivation and don’t realize it until years go by

• Some start chasing relief instead of growth

• Some slide into daily use without noticing it’s become their emotional crutch

• Some relapse into their old drug of choice through weed

• Some never realize that what numbs pain also numbs ambition

We’ve seen it.

Not in textbooks. In real lives.

When Weed Crosses the Line

Here’s how you can tell when weed stopped being “a thing you do” and started doing you:

• You’re using more than you planned to

• You’ve tried to quit and couldn’t

• You need it to relax, sleep, or feel okay

• You keep using even though it’s messing with work, school, or relationships

• You choose weed over people

• You drive high

• You feel off without it

• You need more to get the same effect

That’s not weed being fun anymore.

That’s dependence.

If You’re In Recovery — This Matters

Marijuana is mood-altering. It does mess with dopamine. It can reopen patterns tied to relapse. And it can wake up cravings you thought were dead and gone.

For people in recovery, weed is sometimes a slow-motion doorway back to chaos. Not always. But often enough to be honest about it.

At Colusa County Recovery, we don’t pretend weed is neutral Just because it’s legal. And we won’t pretend it’s always dangerous either.

We live in the middle. Where reality exists.

The Truth About “Medical Marijuana”

Let’s be fair. Medical cannabis does have validated uses.

The Mayo Clinic and others recognize cannabinoids may help:

• certain forms of epilepsy

• chemotherapy-related nausea

• appetite loss in HIV/AIDS

• chronic pain in controlled situations

That’s medicine.

That’s not getting lit every night on a couch and calling it “healing.”

Those aren’t the same lane.

Bottom Line

Weed isn’t a monster. But it’s not meaningless either.

And if you’re honest with yourself, you already know which side of that line you’re standing on.

If you’re curious, stuck, or feeling off…If weed is starting to feel less like a choice and more like a need… That’s not weakness.That’s a signal.

We’re here when you’re ready to listen to it.

Addictive?

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