Are you having issues with your marijuana use? Contact (855) 607-8758 today for detailed information about our treatment options for marijuana abuse at Liberty Bay Recovery.

Marijuana Decriminalization vs. Legalization: What’s the Difference?

There are a few differences between decriminalization vs. legalization of marijuana. Both are changes in the legal and punitive nature of drug laws in the United States but differ significantly in their attempts to resolve drug problems.

Historically, marijuana possession was treated as a felony and punishable by years behind bars. Decriminalization varies between states but generally removes felony offenses for possession of small amounts of marijuana. Large quantities of marijuana can still be a felony offense, as these states still want to provide deterrents to drug traffickers and dealers.

In comparison, legalization allows people to buy recreational marijuana in specialized dispensary stores. Some states even allow people to grow a limited amount of marijuana plants in their own homes for personal use. Marijuana sold outside stores is still illegal to deter drug trafficking and keep the marijuana industry independent of drug cartels and criminal organizations.

The Case for Decriminalization

Decriminalization represents a shift in treating marijuana abuse as a criminal problem towards a mental health issue. Marijuana possession is a non-violent offense, and many people consider the punishment of years in jail as unethical and overly harsh. Some states that have decriminalized marijuana will let you walk away without any legal punishment for possession. In contrast, others will consider it a minor infraction akin to a traffic violation.

Decriminalization helps us to keep our jails from overpopulation. It ensures that violent offenders can fulfill their debt to society without being pushed out early to make room for people with minor drug possession. It also helps people who struggle with marijuana abuse since they can seek rehabilitation instead of facing severe punishments, driving them deeper into addiction.

Arguments for Legalization

Legalization allows states to sell marijuana to adults in specialized stores. Marijuana is treated like other legal recreational drugs, such as tobacco and alcohol. There are still restrictions on where people can use marijuana, and driving under the influence is still a criminal offense. There are several benefits for legalization, including:

• Increased tax revenue for the state, which often helps fund addiction treatment programs
• Decreased crime
• Fewer people are sent to jail for drug offenses
• Reduced profits for drug cartels

Essentially, the argument for legalization is that people should be allowed to use marijuana without fear of punishment. It gives people greater liberties and trusts them to make good decisions about their substance use.

Find Marijuana Addiction Treatment Programs at Liberty Bay Recovery

The fact is that marijuana abuse is a problem whether it is a criminal offense, decriminalized, or legal in your state. Just like alcoholism is still a problem despite being entirely legal, people can still struggle with addiction to marijuana. If you’re having trouble with your marijuana use, marijuana addiction treatment programs can help you regain control over your life, free from addiction.

We’ve hand-selected a team of medical and psychological professionals who understand addiction inside out and want to help clients achieve long-term recovery. Contact us at (855) 607-8758 to learn more about our marijuana addiction treatment programs in Portland, Maine, and start your road to healing today at Liberty Bay Recovery.

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What are dabs? Dabs are a marijuana concentrate that people vape or smoke. This means that they are more potent, so it’s easier to become addicted to cannabis. Different forms of dabs are available, and at Liberty Bay Recovery, we can help you deal with dependency or addiction to cannabis through our marijuana addiction treatment program.

What Are Dabs in Different Forms?

Dabs are powerful marijuana concentrates. They come in different forms, including:

• Shatter
• Oil
• Butter
• Live resin
• Wax

Shatter is an almost transparent thin marijuana concentrate sheet. It has the appearance of amber glass and is fragile when in an area that’s below room temperature.

Oil, also referred to as honey oil or 710, is a thick liquid. It exhibits a deep gold or amber hue. Most of the time, people vape or smoke oil, but there are edible varieties. Butter dabs are likely to remind you of peanut butter. This type is malleable due to its doughy texture.

Live resin is another kind of oil. It is made from fresh marijuana plants that didn’t go through the typical drying process. This is reportedly the most powerful type of dab, and it is harder to get than other forms.

Wax dabs are crumbly and coarse. They look a lot like brown sugar, and the color is about the same as earwax. In fact, the consistency may remind you of earwax, too. While all of these provide a more powerful high, they can also escalate more quickly to dependency.

Dab Devices

What are marijuana dabs? Dabs are the concentrate leftovers after the heat eliminates the cannabinoid material from the weed. Some dab manufacturers use alcohol, butane, ethanol or carbon dioxide as solvents to break the plant down. Most people use gear like a dabbing rig or normal weed bowl when they dab. Devices include:

• Oil rigs
• Vaporizers
• Atom bomb rigs

Oil Rigs

An oil, or dab rig, is a traditional piece of equipment. It consists of a water pipe designed for marijuana concentrate. An oil rig includes a holder, a dome and a nail. The rig heats the concentrate, and users then inhale the vapor. It is an effective way to use marijuana.

Vaporizers

Different types of vaporizers are on the market. These range from high-end desktop models to affordable vape pens. Regardless of the vaporizer that you choose, each model comes with a heating element that heats up the marijuana concentrate to the proper temperature. Most people use oil, shatter or wax with vaporizers.

Atom Bomb Rigs

Atom bomb rigs are a combination of a vaporizer and a water pipe. With this type of rig, users add the dab product into the atomizer. Once the dab is in place, a battery will heat it until it becomes vapor. As with the water pipe, users inhale the vapor.

Why Dabbing Is Dangerous

Since concentrates are exceptionally powerful, they make it exceptionally easy to ingest a large amount of THC. A dab high is quicker, stronger and more hallucinogenic than one achieved with regular weed. There are many reports of inexperienced dabbers winding up in the hospital following a session. Using a dab device improperly can cause injuries to occur.

A Place to Get Help

With 20 detox and residential beds, we can help you overcome addiction. We have a variety of detox programs, which means that we can customize a treatment program based on your needs. We offer community outpatient programs and access to 24-hour medical detox. Additional therapies include 12-step, yoga, holistic treatment, and trauma therapy. You can use a combination of therapies to recover from marijuana addiction.

Quick, Effective and More Potent

So, what are marijuana dabs? They are a fast and effective way to use marijuana, and they are becoming more popular. This means that more people may be experiencing addiction. If you’re one of them, it doesn’t have to take over your life. You can recover by going to a marijuana addiction treatment center in Portland, Maine. Contact Liberty Bay Recovery at (855) 607-8758 for more information.

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