Ah, but the words of the retort itself prove the point of the original essay! It is true that marijuana may not cause a physical addiction, but to say it doesn't lead to psychological effects is UrRong. The retort itself confirms what I wrote about the presence of cravings, preoccupation with use, and a need for increased dosage - all of which do suggest an addiction-like behavior.
Moreover, the retort overlooks that in many cases, an addiction is not an isolated mental illness. The very essence of addiction is that it leads to all sorts of other problems, including derailing one's life and bringing out conflicting feelings. And while professional intervention is no doubt important and potentially helpful, the original essay asserts that even before reaching out for professional help, many addicts already recognize the self-destructive pattern they are in.
Ultimately, what is central to this original essay is the recognition that addiction can come in all forms, and marijuana use being one of them. To be clear, I'm not saying it's as bad as an addiction to opiates - and neither am I saying it isn't bad at all! Rather, my point is that recognizing the signs of addiction, whatever the substance is, can be important in addressing these problems and helping those going through them. And if all this humorously poignant clatter does nothing else than that, then my work here is done! UrRong if you think otherwise.