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Effects of Marijuana
The effects of marijuana are often different for each user. Some people feel nothing at all when they first try marijuana. Others may feel high (intoxicated and/or euphoric). The effects of marijuana on each individual depend on several factors such as:
- type of cannabis and how much THC it contains
- the way the drug is taken (by smoking or eating)
- the experience and expectations of the user
- the setting where the drug is used
- the use of other drugs and/or alcohol
Marijuana’s effects often cause the user to become engrossed with ordinary sights, sounds, or tastes and trivial events may seem extremely interesting or funny. Time seems to pass very slowly, so to someone on marijuana minutes may feel like hours. Sometimes the drug causes users to feel thirsty and very hungry.
Effects of Marijuana: “The Munchies”
One peculiar phenomenon associated with marijuana use is the increased hunger that users feel, often called the "munchies." Research shows that marijuana increases food enjoyment and the number of times a person eats each day.
Until recently, the munchies were a relative mystery. However, a recent study by Italian scientists may explain what happens to increase appetite in marijuana users. Molecules called endocannabinoids bind with receptors in the brain and activate a hunger response in the body.
This research indicates that endocannabinoids in the hypothalamus of the brain activate cannabinoid receptors that are responsible for maintaining food intake.
The Effects of Marijuana on the Mind:
The psychoactive effects of marijuana, known as a "high", are subjective and can vary based on the individual and the method of marijuana consumption. Some effects may include an altered state of consciousness, euphoria, feelings of well-being, relaxation or stress reduction, increased appreciation of humor, music, or art, joviality, introspection, enhanced recollection (episodic memory), increased sensuality, increased awareness of sensation, increased libido, creative or philosophical thinking, disruption of linear memory or thought, nostalgia, and paranoia or anxiety.
Marijuana also produces many subjective effects such as greater enjoyment of food taste and aroma, and an enhanced enjoyment of music and art. One of the more peculiar effects of marijuana is the distortion of the perception of time and space. Experiencing a rush of ideas from the bank of long-term memory can create the subjective impression of long elapsed time, while a clock reveals that only a short time has passed.
At higher doses, the effects of marijuana can include altered body image, auditory and/or visual illusions, and ataxia from selective impairment of polysynaptic reflexes. In some cases, the effects of marijuana can lead to de-personalization and de-realization. Such effects are most often considered desirable but have the potential to induce extreme anxiety and paranoia in some unaccustomed users.
Marijuana has been found to affect the brains functioning as well as proper mental development of the user. Most notably, marijuana effects the motivations of the user by chemically unbalancing the natural functions of the brain. The result can be seen by talking with marijuana users about changing their habit. In their mind marijuana is no big deal, as long as they have it.
Marijuana effects ambition and alters reality. Situations which are really vital to handle are not even seen. One couple addicted to marijuana had smoked through the woman's pregnancy and in the baby's same room during the baby's first year of life. The baby was under sized, unresponsive, dazed, and had not attempted to crawl. Addiction and anti-social behavior later in life is common for babies of marijuana addicts. Despite these bad effects, the marijuana addicted couple had not recognized or acknowledged the effects of marijuana on their baby.
The Effects of Marijuana on the Brain:
Marijuana toxins effect the brain. Memory loss, the shakes, and deterioration of the brain have been associated with long term marijuana users. Significant mental problems are associated more frequently with people who smoke marijuana. These problems are rarely attributed by the user to marijuana use. Many people do go to treatment to detox and rehabilitate themselves after years of marijuana use. Ideally these long term physical conditions are prevented by full detox and rehabilitation early on while the marijuana user has not yet created mental health imbalances due to their habit.
Researchers have found that THC which is found in marijuana changes the way in which sensory information gets into and is acted on by the hippocampus. This is a component of the brain's limbic system that is crucial for learning, memory, and the integration of sensory experiences with emotions and motivations. Investigations have shown that neurons in the information processing system of the hippocampus and the activity of the nerve fibers are suppressed by THC. In addition, researchers have discovered that learned behaviors, which depend on the hippocampus, also deteriorate. Recent research findings also indicate that long-term use of marijuana produces changes in the brain similar to those seen after long-term use of other major drugs of abuse.
Experiments on animal and human tissue have demonstrated disruption of short-term memory, which is consistent with the abundance of CB1 receptors on the hippocampus, the region of the brain most closely associated with memory. Cannabinoids inhibit the release of several neurotransmitters in the hippocampus, like acetylcholine, norepinephrine, and glutamate, resulting in a major decrease in neuronal activity in that region. This decrease in activity resembles a "temporary hippocampal lesion." In the end, this process could lead to the blocking of cellular processes that are associated with memory formation.
Overall Effects of Marijuana:
Marijuana contains known toxins and cancer-causing chemicals which are stored in fat cells of the body for as long as several months. Marijuana users experience the same health problems as tobacco smokers such as bronchitis, emphysema, and bronchial asthma. Some of the effects of marijuana use also include: an increased heart rate, dryness of the mouth, reddening if the eyes, impaired motor skills, frequent hunger, and an increased desire for sweets. Extended use increases risk to the lungs and reproductive system, as well as suppression of the immune system. Occasionally hallucinations, fantasies, and paranoia are reported. Long-term use of the drug can increase the risk of damaging the lungs and reproductive system, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). It has also been linked to heart attacks.
