Marijuana Possible Factor in Punching of Florida Bar Owner
The Delray Beach Police Department reports that a K-9 officer bit a man accused of punching a bar owner early Monday morning. An officer working off-duty at a bar had been asked to remove an intoxicated patron. Mason Courson, 19, had punched the bar's owner and thrown him to the ground yelling when police arrived. He was arrested on four counts of battery on a law enforcement officer and possession of under 20 grams of marijuana.
Why Do People Not Believe They Are Drug Dependent?
A report released in 2014 by the Pew Research study revealed that 69 percent of Americans believe that alcohol is more harmful than marijuana. A survey conducted by the Emory University Rollins School of Public Health of 2,000 college students found that nearly all respondents believed that the drug was less harmful and less addictive than nicotine.
The flawed belief that marijuana is relatively harmless leads many people to assume that it is completely safe to use. However, a spokesperson for the Center for Neurobehavioral Research on Addiction at the University of Texas Health Science Center reports that up to 33 percent of cannabis users may develop an addiction to the substance.
If you have a marijuana dependence, Delray Beach drug treatment is available to assist you in finding the right rehab for you.
What is Cross-Addiction?
Cross-addiction is the term used for swapping one substance of abuse for another. For example, a recovering alcoholic may stop drinking alcohol but start abusing painkillers, essentially switching from one addictive substance to another.
Research shows that people struggling with cannabis addiction are more likely to become cross-addicted to other substances. Alcohol is listed as the primary substance of abuse within recovering marijuana addicts. Prescription medication is another strongly-linked substance of abuse.
Studies also indicate that marijuana is considered a "gateway" drug. People who begin experimenting with the psychoactive properties of cannabis often go on to try harder drugs in an attempt to take advantage of the mind-altering properties drugs have.
Getting Help
Don't let a marijuana dependence take over your life. Delray Beach drug treatment centers are available to help you or your loved one find the center your looking for. You can also see support that is so needed on your road to sobriety at Narcotics Anonymous (http://midcoastarea.org/2014/).