jookbeard-Question_Mans; there are clear sighs that manifest themselves as addiction , I know many people at the moment who are trying to quit mj and are showing them; shakes, insomnia,headaches,irritability, anxiety, extreme mood swings, to ignore these signs is very churlish.
You are talking about people that use the drug to deal with existing anxiety disorders. I 100% agree that using this drug, (or anything), done to excess or to assist in dealing with real life is dangerous. Much of this has to do with mindset. Anyone that thinks they "need" to get high to have a fulfilling life, has issues that need to be reconciled, likely by a professional. Does that mean the addiction is physical? No. These people likely have anxiety disorders to begin with, that are exacerbated by marijuana use. Yes, they should stay away from it. The drug use is a symptom for these people, not the root cause of their problems.
Physical addiction is a very specific thing. This type of addiction is marked by physical dependencies that prevent certain body functions from working normally, and can lead to serious life threatening situations. It is irresponsible to label any "dependency" on marijuana this way. Other substances, (like heroin and alcohol), do have physically addictive properties that can kill if the withdrawal is not dealt with.
Physiological addictions are a much broader category, and MJ does not even fall into this camp, clinically speaking. I am enjoying a cup of coffee at the moment, because I know I have a physiological caffeine addiction that I would like to care for. I would feel lousy at this hour if I did not have it, but it wouldn't kill me. MJ produces no such withdrawal symptoms, either physiological or physical. I get up at 4 AM every day, work a 6 figure career job for 12-14 hours, go home and take care of domestic stuff, and maybe decide to use some MJ on the weekend, at night if there is the right time and place for it. Hardly an addiction by any means, although certainly psychologically gratifying at times.
YMMV.
d4g