With the rise in a number of countries and states legalizing cannabis, there has been an accompanying concern over the possibility of marijuana addiction and what treatment methods could or should be available.

The idea of marijuana addiction, itself, is the subject of some debate as there are many people who believe that cannabis isn’t addictive, but habit forming, and therefore, can’t actually result in addiction.

For those out there who are seeking treatment, the question becomes which form of treatment you want to pursue. The most commonly heard of treatment is that of what is commonly referred to as “detox”. This is inpatient treatment, but it isn’t the same as other detox programs. In heroin treatment, for instance, people who are trying to get off the drug are usually given methadone to alleviate the withdrawal symptoms associated with the cessation of taking heroin. This isn’t a unique treatment and is quite common with several treatment programs. There aren’t, however, any step-down drugs associated with marijuana as none have even been found to be effective in treating marijuana addiction.

What inpatient does is to remove the addict from his normal surroundings in order to avoid triggers that might want to make him or her take cannabis again. This also involves the patient being committed to staying in the treatment facility until they are fully recovered.

It is also normal to see a counselor or psychiatrist during this recovery period. The purpose of this is to treat the cause of the problem rather than just to deal with the effects. It’s necessary to keep in mind that people escape through drugs for a reason. This can be due to a form of abuse, trauma, anxiety, or extreme stress, but whatever the motivation, it needs to be uncovered. Once it is, and the subject is shown how to deal with the cause of his addiction, that person is more likely to succeed at staying clean and sober.

There is, of course, the need for drug testing to ensure that the patient doesn’t re-offend during their recovery period. It’s also important that friends and family know about the treatment so that they don’t unknowingly tempt him or her to fall off the wagon. More than that, it’s important for friends and family to know so that they can be supportive of the person who’s trying to stop taking cannabis.

There is also a rise in the belief that holistic treatments can also treat cannabis addiction. Although they have yet to be proven scientifically beyond a shadow of a doubt, there are people who have claimed that these approaches did really work for them.

There are a few different approaches in holism that one can try:

Yoga, Massage therapy, meditation, and exercise are viewed as effective in some cases. This follows the idea that a sound body will be a healthy one. This is an approach that should be used in tandem with others, and not by itself.

Homeopathic remedies have seen a rise in popularity over the last two decades. These natural medicines are believed to aid the body in alleviating withdrawal symptoms and detoxifying the body. You need to be very aware of what’s in these remedies and do your research on them. If they seem too good to be true, they probably are.

Acupuncture is also believed to be helpful in relieving the stress from withdrawal. This is the popular practice of using needles, inserted in certain places on the body to accomplish a better function.

Aromatherapy is another option that can be used, which is the use of different scents to promote a better sense of mind. Again, this is something that can be part of a bigger approach to therapy but should not be used solely by itself.

Pet Therapy is also available as a supportive way of dealing with the stress of wanting to use marijuana.

The last available method on this list is one that’s difficult to do, but is an option: quit cold turkey. If you plan on doing this as a personal plan, then it can work for you, but it’s still advisable to seek out counselling while you do it.