Understanding what Marijuana Does To Your Body And Brain will help you make better decisions.
Cannabis is becoming more popular. More states are considering legalization. Marijuana, also known as weed or pot, comes from the cannabis plant. You can smoke, vape, drink, or eat it. People often use it to relax. Now, more doctors are prescribing it for medical conditions and symptoms. Marijuana contains compounds that affect the brain and body. It can be addictive and harm health.
In contrast, CBD lacks a “high” and is valued for its healing properties. Both interact with the endocannabinoid system, which regulates body functions. With time, users need more for the same effects and may face withdrawal upon quitting.
What Marijuana Does To Your Body And Brain
Marijuana affects the body and brain with THC and CBD. Prolonged use harms cognitive function and mental health, possibly leading to addiction. Physically, marijuana increases heart rate, damages the lungs when smoked, and affects appetite. To fully grasp the impact of cannabis, it’s important to explore what Marijuana Does To Your Body And Brain
Marijuana Can Make Us Feel Good
One of weed’s active ingredients is tetrahydrocannabinol or THC. It interacts with our brain’s reward system. This part is primed to respond to things that make us feel good, like eating and sex.
Drugs can overexcite the reward system, leading to euphoria. Some studies suggest excessive use can be a problem. They show that frequent triggering of euphoria can reduce the enjoyment of other rewarding activities.
It Can Make Your Heart Race
After smoking marijuana, your heart rate can quickly jump by 20 to 50 beats per minute. This effect lasts from 20 minutes to three hours. The National Institute on Drug Abuse confirms this.
Weed May Help Relieve Some Types Of Pain
Pot also has cannabidiol. This chemical doesn’t make you high. But, it’s thought to cause many of marijuana’s medical effects. These range from pain relief to a potential treatment for some childhood epilepsy.
like The Discomfort Of Arthritis
Some small studies suggest marijuana might help with certain ailments. Scientists believe it reduces inflammation, often found in painful conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.
Or The Pain Of Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Studies suggest that people with Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis might benefit from marijuana. However, most researchers agree that more studies are necessary.
Marijuana May Also Help Control Epileptic Seizures
Teen marijuana use has fallen. This happened as four states and D.C. have legalized the drug.
A drug named Epidiolex, with cannabidiol (CBD) from marijuana, might be the first to get FDA approval. It’s for treating rare childhood epilepsies. The maker, GW Pharma, is looking into CBD for Dravet and Lennox-Gastaut syndromes. These are rare childhood epilepsies with various seizures.
In March, the company released phase-three trial data. The data showed the drug had positive results.
But It Can Also Mess With Our Sense Of Balance
It may throw off your balance. It affects the cerebellum and basal ganglia, two brain areas. They help regulate balance, coordination, reaction time, and posture.
And It Can Distort Our Sense Of Time
A man shops at a marijuana dispensary in Portland, Oregon. It is one of four US states that allow recreational use of the drug.
Many marijuana users report time either speeding up or slowing down. In 2012, a paper aimed to confirm these findings. However, it couldn’t reach a clear conclusion.
Most time estimation studies report over-estimation. But, time production and reproduction studies’ findings are inconclusive.
In a 1998 study, researchers scanned volunteers’ brains using magnetic resonance imaging. They found that many had changed blood flow to the cerebellum. This brain region likely plays a role in our sense of time.
Weed Can Also Turn Your Eyes Red
Weed makes blood vessels expand. This can give you red eyes.
And You’ll Probably Get The Munchies
The munchies are real. Both casual and heavy marijuana users overeat when they smoke.
The drug may flip a brain circuit. It normally quells hunger, but instead triggers us to eat. This is according to a recent study in mice.
Special brain cells signal fullness after a big meal. Marijuana Does To Your Body And Brain. Weed’s psychoactive part activates some of these. It triggers hunger, not fullness.
Marijuana May Also Interfere With How We Form Memories
Weed can harm memory by altering information processing in the brain. Scientists are unsure of the exact mechanism. However, studies show it affects short-term memory. This impact is more pronounced in inexperienced or occasional users than in heavy, regular users.
And In Some People, Weed Could Increase The Risk Of Depression
Scientists are unsure if Marijuana Does To Your Body And Brain and causes depression or if depressed people are more likely to smoke. However, a study from the Netherlands suggests that smoking weed might increase depression risk for young people. This is especially true for those with a unique serotonin gene that makes them more prone to depression.
Conclusion
In conclusion, marijuana affects the body and brain. This is due to its key compounds, THC and CBD. They interact with the endocannabinoid system. This leads to mental and mood changes, plus physiological responses.
While it can boost mood and relaxation, it harms cognition and coordination. It might even cause anxiety or paranoia. Studies are ongoing to understand what Marijuana Does To Your Body And Brain to understand its short- and long-term effects.
Long-term use can lead to dependency and mental health issues. Physically, it affects heart rate, breathing, and appetite. Knowing these effects is important for making informed decisions about its use. It also helps in assessing its medical benefits and risks.