People trying to quit smoking pot might be surprised to find out it’s just as difficult as quitting tobacco. A study says that pot withdrawal symptoms can affect daily life and are quite similar to what tobacco users are going through when they quit.

Many pot smokers don’t imagine they’re going to have a hard time in withdrawal. But a study says marijuana withdrawal is much similar to what people are experiencing when they’re quitting tobacco smoking.

Australian scientists had people who smoked cannabis quit. Within the first two weeks, cannabis users experienced withdrawal. The pot withdrawal symptoms were so acute that users felt it was difficult to conduct their everyday activities. Moreover, the pot withdrawal symptoms affected users’ abilities to work and even their personal relationships.

“Cannabis withdrawal is clinically significant because it is associated with functional impairment to normal daily activities, as well as relapse to cannabis use” Australian experts wrote in journal PLos One.

Study researcher David Allsop, with the National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre at the University of New South Wales, explained the symptoms of pot withdrawal were very similar to those of nicotine withdrawal.

Pot users that were more dependent reported withdrawal symptoms such as sleep problems, anxiety, physical tension and loss of appetite. Others also reported experiencing depression and mood swings. If you’ve ever tried to quit smoking tobacco then you have a first-hand impression of how the acute withdrawal symptoms can affect daily life.

The Australian study aimed to find a better treatment for quitting the most used illicit drug in the world. In America alone, there are literally more teens smoking marijuana than cigarettes. Data from 2009 had 16.7 million smoking pot at least once a month, whereas 3.6 million Americans smoked daily.

“Cannabis is the most prevalent illicit drug all around the world – including in America – and current treatment options have very limited success rates for continuous abstinence. Why wouldn’t you include it?” asked the study author. “Tailoring treatments to target withdrawal symptoms contributing to functional impairment during a quit attempt may improve treatment outcomes” said David Allsop.