Marijuana Withdrawal: Symptoms & Timeline

Marijuana withdrawal generally has mild symptoms and does not usually require medical detox.

Withdrawal symptoms usually last between one to two weeks, but both the severity and duration of symptoms is heavily dependent on how heavily a person used marijuana before stopping.

What Is Marijuana Withdrawal? 

Marijuana is one of the most widely used drugs across the world. While marijuana is generally considered safe and it is used for medical purposes, abusing the drug can lead to harmful effects, including withdrawal.

Drug withdrawal occurs in those who frequently use a drug and then abruptly stop their drug use. When you continually use a drug, your body may develop a dependence on the substance you are abusing. 

When you stop using a drug suddenly, your body may react in a negative manner. This is what happens when those who continually use marijuana stop abruptly. It is known as cannabis withdrawal syndrome.

In the case of marijuana, the cannabinoid delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, commonly known as THC, is thought to be the primary reason that regular marijuana use can create abnormalities within the brain.

Is Marijuana Withdrawal Real? 

Because marijuana has recently become legalized in many states, and it is gradually becoming a more accepted drug in the public eye, there is mixed perception when it comes to the dangers of the drug.

While marijuana use in moderation has not proven to be harmful to adults, heavy marijuana use and subsequently stopping the intake of the drug has been proven to cause withdrawal symptoms.

While more research must be done about marijuana dependency and whether the substance can be physically addictive, the existence of cannabis withdrawal syndrome is medically confirmed.

Signs of Marijuana Withdrawal

Marijuana withdrawal can cause a variety of symptoms. The most common ones are listed below:

• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Difficulty sleeping
• Vivid dreams
• Loss of appetite or weight loss
• Depressed feelings
• Aggression
• Abdominal pain
• Tremors
• Sweating
• Fever
• Chills
• Headaches
• Gastrointestinal problems
• Potential psychosis or other psychiatric problems (in rare, severe cases)

Because many of these symptoms can occur due to other illnesses or general unwellness, there is a specific way to diagnose a patient going through marijuana withdrawal. If you experience three or more of the above symptoms within one week of quitting marijuana, you may be diagnosed with cannabis withdrawal syndrome.

Some studies have shown that women may feel the effects of cannabis withdrawal syndrome more or to a greater extent when compared to men. In addition to this, heavy tobacco use in adolescent patients suffering from cannabis withdrawal syndrome may lead to a higher level of irritability.

Timeline of Cannabis Withdrawal

Usually, a person will start to experience cannabis withdrawal symptoms within the first day to two days after they stop using the substance. 

Symptoms of irritability, difficulty sleeping, tremors, and loss of appetite will generally be at their worst between two to six days after marijuana was last taken. A week into withdrawal, these symptoms will lessen and start to even out.

At around the second week of withdrawal, depressed feelings and aggression are likely to be at their worst. Difficulty sleeping may last longer than other cannabis withdrawal symptoms, and they could continue for several weeks.

In most cases, cannabis withdrawal symptoms will last between one to two weeks. In cases where the patient regularly ingested a very large amount of marijuana, symptoms may last for up to three weeks.

How Is Marijuana Withdrawal Treated?

Cannabis withdrawal symptoms are generally not severe enough to require treatment in a medical facility. In many cases, symptoms are minor enough to handle at home with rest and care, without the need for further treatment.

However, in some situations, such as where a person is experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms, a medical facility may be the best choice in order to ensure a patient does not relapse and completes their withdrawal phase safely.

In cases where cannabis withdrawal is also co-occurring with another disorder, patients may be more likely to require treatment in a medical facility. In addition, in cases where a person’s withdrawal symptoms are having an adverse effect on their daily life, it is recommended to seek medical help, and a medical facility may be the best option.

Medications

At this time, no medications have been confirmed to be effective in the treatment of cannabis withdrawal syndrome. However, a variety of medications have been tested with mixed results. Most medications that were tested have not shown any promising results, but there are a few that may have merit when it comes to marijuana withdrawal treatment.

The drugs that may be the most promising so far have been THC replacements. The use of THC replacements may be similar to heroin withdrawal treatment, which generally involves the use of a less powerful opioid to lessen and eventually eliminate a person’s dependence on the drug.

Both dronabinol and nabiximol, two THC substitutes, were tested in small experiments. They proved effective in reducing the effects of cannabis withdrawal syndrome. However, neither drug has proved effective in stopping cravings or dependence in patients suffering from cannabis withdrawal syndrome.

 

Generally, medications are not used to treat marijuana withdrawal directly, but certain medications may be used to treat specific symptoms, such as insomnia, depression, or gastrointestinal issues.

Diazepam is generally prescribed to patients who are aggressive or agitated or have severe pain. Metoclopramide, promethazine, or paracetamol may be given to patients to help with nausea.

Other Treatments

Behavioral therapy is a big part of treatment for marijuana addiction, and these strategies are often taught during cannabis withdrawal. In some cases, physical exercise may help patients with their cravings for cannabis.

References

The Cannabis Withdrawal Syndrome: Current Insights .(April 2017). Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation.

Cannabis (Marijuana) and Cannabinoids: What You Need to Know. (November 2019). National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.

Addiction (Marijuana or Cannabis Use Disorder). (October 2020). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Withdrawal Management. (2009). World Health Organization.

Clinical Management of Cannabis Withdrawal. (November 2021). Addiction.

Pharmacological Treatment of Cannabis Dependence. (January 2012). Current Pharmaceutical Design.

Cannabis Withdrawal Management. (April 2022). Government of South Australia.

Cannabis Withdrawal, Posttreatment Abstinence, and Days to First Cannabis Use Among Emerging Adults in Substance Use Treatment: A Prospective Study. (January 2016). Journal of Drug Issues.