The main cause of these "bad decisions" is betrayal or lies ... separation from the truth. In simple terms an addict is typically a compulsive liar.

Denial and addiction go hand in hand.

It only makes sense that if you enjoy something, if you have a need for it, that you would keep having it. Your employer doesn't know so it can't be doing much if anything to impair your functioning at work.

The way I see things is people would be making more sense if they focused on does it kill anybody rather than does it addict anyone.

Anyone can go a long time without pot if they are willing to suffer, but why should people be willing to suffer when they don't have to? It's been proven over & over that it doesn't kill anyone, so there shouldn't be any guilt about self harm.

It's natural to keep wanting something that helps one feel better, especially when there is nothing safe that can help as much. "Addictions" to safe things should be considered OK.

I think it is clearer that something is an addiction when a person keeps using something that can kill them, & it has serious physical withdrawal symptoms.

Dr. Lester Grinspoon on rxmarijuana.com/ lists over 120 medical conditions where MJ often works better than any pills. Pills kill 125,000 a year, pot 0. Why should one feel guilty about going with safest & most effective?

Recent Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson fell about 50 feet, broken bones in back, rib & knee. He chose to manage pain with illicit use of MJ, rather than get hooked on opiates or have some operation that could've messed up his body for life. Does anyone in their right mind think he should have felt guilty?

Some self-serving treatment center operator might say 3 years of regular use is unacceptable "addiction".

Three years of regular use occured before i was 20 yrs old. I have been using
Cannabis for my ms/epilepsy for 35 yrs that must make me some sort of hardcore
Cannabis addict.

Well, the Cannabis addiction is actually a psychological dependence. Then I guess everyone is able to control it easily !

My opinion is addiction isn't really addiction until it effects you or the people around you. People are addicted to many things in life but the only time you hear the word addiction come up is when people are affected by it in a negative way.