The addictiveness of marijuana has been debated regularly in recent years although any solid conclusions are yet to be reached. Since being outlawed for both medical and recreational use throughout most the world in the early 20th century cannabis has been by far the most commonly used illegal drug. Due to how commonly used the drug is (despite its legality) its decriminalisation has consistently been a hot topic of debate; and one of the most heavily discussed topics is whether or not cannabis is addictive. Studies are yet to conclusively prove either way meaning there is a plethora of evidence sited by debaters on either side. This article is going to look at some of the evidence below and allow you to reach your own conclusions about which side presents a more compelling argument.

Those who stand against the legalisation of cannabis will generally claim that it is both physiologically and psychologically addictive. They site the fact that upon quitting the drug some users experience restlessness, sleeping problems and loss of appetite; symptoms common to withdrawal. They also argue that although many substances (and activities) are not physically addictive they can still be damaging to the user (for example compulsive gambling).

People who argue for marijuana's decriminalisation tend to claim that the drug itself is not physically addictive. Many medical studies do back this viewpoint up but the studies tend to focus on very narrow and controlled and fail to look at the wider picture. These people also tend to point out that marijuana certainly appears to be less addictive than comparable drugs which are legal.

Another element that cannot be ignored is that cannabis is regularly combined with tobacco in order to be smoked. While cannabis used alone is often thought to be less damaging and addicting than tobacco the combination of the two is perceived to be more damaging than the sum of its parts.

Although the debate on the addictiveness of marijuana is likely to rage on for many years one thing that does seem apparent is that cannabis is unlikely to be any more addictive as many legal drugs, such as alcohol, caffeine and nicotine. However as studies into the long term effects of cannabis have thus far been inconclusive it is extremely unlikely that it will be commercially legalised any time soon. Potential users should be extremely wary of local laws as many countries permit the sale of marijuana seeds for preservation purposes but the germination and growth of such feminized seeds is still illegal.