What you so innocently left out is that NOWHERE in there did they claim that it is physically addictive. In fact it is plainly obvious, due to their treatment methods, that they are treating it as a behavioral or habitual addiction, WHICH IT IS.

Just because you're happy with where you are as a pothead doesn't mean that everyone is and just because you believe you could stop at any moment doesn't mean that you can. Yes, physically you will suffer no side-effects but the psychological ability to quit just might not be there.

Is there a line started somewhere? Im anxious to know all the people who want to quit smoking pot.

Marijuana can be abused just like any other drug. For many, its just part of their drug cocktail to deal with deeper issues. This is sad when people are considered addicted and misunderstood.

Wake up boyz 'n girlz...Numero Uno: Cannabis is recognized by the American Indians as 'strong medicine'--and, use it only for that purpose--Its healing qualities far supercede any chemically-based P-Harma-ceuticals--because the human body recognizes it as such...However, the residule affect of diminished brain activity--Is alleviated by ingesting the cannabis RAW. Then, normal brain activity remains, intact. Now, if, No One but, myself, is aware of that undeniable TRUTH about cannabis...run get a capscan...I think ya'll must be brain-dead, and don't know it---or, just lack the experience and knowledge of which, I speak, or have some other agenda than alleviating human suffering. What is it???
If, anyone has no working knowledge of a subject--they know, NOt of which they speak??

Im going to volunteer even if they dont pay me, been smoking pot every day for 4 years, and I love it so much and I'll smoke weed for as long I live, but even though not everyone has a problem with weed, there are people that cant go one day without it because they love it so much and I think they're trying to help the habitual side of it. maybe I could move down to 5days a week and not every day while I have a busy schedule of studying and writting,and volunteering and lots of work. This sounds SUPER INTERSTING because unlike all other weed rehab things , i dont think this follows the 12 step. I think they;re taking it as a whole new approach. This is pretty ground breaking in the marijuana community when you got stoners that want to slow down and others that believe no one needs help slowing down because thats the same as saying you're a "marijuana addict" . I usually agree with your articles but on this one you lost it. and one day when weed is legal(hopefully I-1068 passes) and there are small treatment centers to teach people how to cut back on the every day , you will have to owe them an apology.

Interesting comments today. I see members of the "fair and balanced" crowd are making an appearance.

If the government calls all "use" abuse then it's logical to expect and/or assume some users may become addicted.

Problem is, policy is based on conservative ideology rather than scientific evidence. While some cannabis users may suffer a mild and brief psychological withdrawal, compared to other substances of abuse it's hardly worth mentioning.

Unless of course your job depends on it.

People can tell you very clearly how addiction to alcohol or heroin effects them physically. A group of doctors with all of the physical information are likely to agree whether someone is addicted or not. Psychological addiction is harder to define. It is by its nature a social statement and is a judgement that one person makes about another person. Unless we can come up with clearly defined and easily verifiable standards the discussion quickly becomes a moral statement about whether one lables a habit as good or bad. Drug counselors and members of the arrest and prosecution industry tell many horror stories about marijuana addiction. Often, however, the problems that are mentioned are a direct result of the actions of a judicial system that labels any use as addiction or abuse. Very few of these people can identify someone who is an experienced user of marijuana when they are stoned by anything other than a smell of marijuana on their clothes. It's not real hard to identify an alcoholic or heroin addict if you know what to look for, especially when they are using. Real marijuana addicts are kind of like unicorns. Everyone has heard of them, maybe even a few have seen one, but they're pretty hard to come up with, unless, you do something like offer money to find some for a university study...

I HOPE EVERYONE READS THIS: I am addicted to marijuana. I want to stop smoking and I can't. (I have admittedly not tried treatment, yet, but if you need treatment to stop something...) I wish I was one of the smokers who could smoke occasionally and not develop a dependency. I am certainly dependent, though.

"What Shaw didn't mention -- and I'm sure it was just an "oversight," umm hmm -- was that nearly all those people in rehab programs "working so hard" to quit marijuana were forced into those programs under threat of being thrown in jail."

When you say that, you are fucking up your own argument: "Unfortunately, UW then puts its reputation as a center of higher learning in serious danger by absurdly claiming that "between one-third and one-half of those are dependent."

I'm a student at the university. I've seen the adds on The Stranger. It sounds like bullshit to me, but it also maybe, as people pointed out, that one help some stoners need to get out of the hole. While we know there are a lot of genial people smoking pot (go Rick Steves, who btw graduated from UW and later taught classes at the school), there are also some less than bright people who do get sucked in to the mentality "ah it feels good then i'll do it." Reminds me of good'ol G.W. Bush to me.

For the comments, people, let's be nice. There are a lot of different opinions out there, no need to get personal. As for the text, may I suggest you to put down j while writing something? Texts tend to be more coherent sober. Maybe the UW research team can help you!

awww they didnt accept me and i dont know why??
I think its because im moving out of state soon ! But fuck I wanted to do it sooooooooooooo bad! it sounded so awesome :(
Im gonna call them again and see what I can do

legallise marijuana its good 4 relieving stress and back pain........

Sorry I'm late up on this one, Steve, March 3rd I was down on the Red Sea in Egypt.

OK ... this is the University of Washington, right? Well shame on them. If they are trying to buy students in this way, most of whom probably support the campaign for legalization then this is a case of dirty politics, so let's call it for what it is - even 10 year olds know that marijuana is not addictive, never mind a national university.

Coming from a big, prestige university who ought to know better, the content of this UoW post reiterates to me yet again that the powers that be will go to any length they can to keep cannabis and hemp illegal.

They prove in this post that they will use national universities to try and propagate the lie that marijuana is addictive. By doing so, they commit the huge crime of lying to our youth through their lies and misinformation. Because cannabis is illegal, they think they can get away with it.

America calls this their "War on Drugs." The US government have called their relentless persecution of cannabis by name. When cannabis is legalised, I will be campaigning for charges of war crimes against all of these establishments who knowingly propagate lies to mislead our youth. I am currently making a database of known cases. Please add to it if you can. I keep multiple copies of this database in multiple locations, so that it cannot be destroyed.

Bottom Line on this UoW post: This propaganda on the part of UoW is aimed against Seattle Hempfest and any another campaign or ballot initiatives in the State of Washington.

How to respond, guys? Bring on the unicorns!

We can't, because our unicorns are currently invisible. They are sitting in prison cells in Seattle (Marc Emery) and other places. The authorities will bust anyone, for sure, but they will continue to particularly target any and every major cannabis campaigner activist, charge them with cannabis "offences" and send them to the slammer for a long time to get them off the streets, so that they cannot continue as leaders of the pro-legislate campaign. The DEA statement against Marc Emery proves this point. http://www.cannabisculture.com/v2/articles/4639.html

I figured this out back in 1977 when I stopped using cannabis so that I could campaign more effectively. They will have to figure out something else if they want to make me into a unicorn. I truly believe that the campaign needs more non-cannabis users to appeal to "middle America" on the issue of civil rights - the right to choose whether or not to use cannabis - it is mainstream society that needs to be educated about cannabis, because they form the bulk of the people who get out and vote - stoners and left wingers need no converting about cannabis, but a lot of them DO need converting about the importance of voting.

This whole damned situation is going to change. Maybe not so soon, but it is going to change. Go with the flow, guys, support Marc Emery. He has the credentials that inspire trust from the whole worldwide cannabis community. Marc is the one who is going to lead the campaign to legalize cannabis worldwide. And this time - we are going to WIN.

In the meantime, we, as campaigners need to respond to this UoW deceit. I appeal to every cannabis campaigner to up-the-ante and step on the gas on the campaign in Washington State. Please support Seattle Hempfest and all other initiatives in Washington.

This has to be our political strategy for legalization - identify key areas, move in and conquer. The authorities have chosen to target Washington State - so we, as campaigners, MUST respond also and choose it too.

Yes, it's the whole damn world, but it's a case of how we eat an elephant - one bite at a time.

Jayelle Farmer
Founder, Coordinator & Strategy Committee
Legalise Cannabis International
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=360600757801