You might be saying to yourself, why do we need to use medical marijuana for alcohol dependence–can’t we just send everybody to a 12 step program and make them quit completely? The answer to this is a simple no. Although 12 step programs are great for the people that they work for, the simple fact is that 12 step programs fail to help the majority of people with alcohol problems. According to the National Institute On Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism, only one out of every fourteen people with an Alcohol Use Disorder will ever seek treatment for it. And according to Doctor Jeffrey Brandsma and others who have researched the effectiveness of treatment programs, over two thirds of people who enroll in 12 step treatment programs will drop out without finishing them. Twelve step programs are great for the people that they work for, but something else is needed for the majority of problem drinkers who are failed by them. Fortunately, medical marijuana can fill that need for many people suffering from alcohol use disorders. Some people might view the use of medical marijuana to treat alcohol dependence as simply substituting one addiction for another. However, when we view things from a public health perspective, we find that there is a tremendous difference in the impact of alcohol dependence when compared to marijuana use. Severe alcohol withdrawal syndrome is accompanied by seizures, hallucinations, tremors, irregular heartbeat, and spikes in blood pressure. Untreated severe …
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