What Happens to Your Brain if You Smoke Weed for 30 Days

Summary

This video explores the effects of smoking cannabis daily for a month, examining both physical and psychological impacts. It discusses the drug's legality, myths vs. scientific facts, and varying individual reactions. The video delves into cannabis's effects on memory, motivation, anxiety, and potential lung damage, while also addressing the complexities of addiction and withdrawal. It concludes with the importance of understanding one's own response to cannabis and the need for further research.

Takeaways

• 🌿 Legal acceptance of marijuana is growing, with 25 US states and Washington, D.C. legalizing it for recreational use, and 7 states decriminalizing it.
• 📈 Public opinion leans towards legalization, with 88% of Americans surveyed supporting legal recreational and medical use.
• 🚫 Despite its growing acceptance, marijuana is not without controversy; some doctors and conservatives call for re-banning despite its economic benefits.
• 🧠 Marijuana affects the brain and can lead to both positive and negative psychological effects, including anxiety, paranoia, and even psychotic experiences in some individuals.
• 🍃 The psychoactive properties of marijuana are due to compounds like THC and CBD, which can alter perception, mood, and cognitive function.
• 🚭 Smoking marijuana, like tobacco, can have respiratory effects, potentially increasing phlegm production and causing lung issues over time.
• 🍔 'The munchies' are real; marijuana can stimulate appetite and lead to weight gain, although long-term use may not necessarily result in obesity.
• 🧪 Scientific studies on marijuana's effects are varied and often contradictory, reflecting the complexity and individual variability in how it affects users.
• 🌱 Long-term marijuana use can have both positive and negative effects, with some studies suggesting potential neuroprotective benefits and others indicating risks of addiction and lung damage.
• 🔒 While marijuana can be addictive for a small percentage of users, the withdrawal symptoms are generally mild compared to those of other substances like alcohol or benzodiazepines.
• ⚖️ The decision to use marijuana should be made with careful consideration of personal health, potential risks, and the quality of life impact.

Q & A

在美国哪些州可以合法使用娱乐大麻？

根据最新的信息，美国有25个州和华盛顿特区允许娱乐大麻的使用。这些州包括阿拉斯加州、加利福尼亚州、科罗拉多州、缅因州、马萨诸塞州、密歇根州、内华达州、俄勒冈州和华盛顿州等。此外，还有几个州允许医用大麻的使用，并且有些州已经将大麻的使用去罪化。具体每个州的法律可能有所不同，因此建议查阅最新的法律条文或相关资源以获取详细信息。

如果每天吸食大麻一个月，是否会有戒断症状？

是的，如果一个人长时间且频繁地使用大麻，例如每天使用，那么在突然停止使用后可能会出现戒断症状。这些症状可能包括渴望、情绪波动、焦虑、睡眠问题、食欲变化、头痛和其他身体不适。戒断症状的严重程度和持续时间因人而异，有些人可能会经历轻微的症状，而其他人可能会有更严重的反应。

大麻对心理健康有什么影响？

大麻对心理健康的影响因人而异。一些研究表明，长期使用大麻可能会增加心理健康问题的风险，尤其是对于青少年和有精神病史的人。大麻可能会加剧焦虑、抑郁和精神病症状。然而，也有研究表明，对于某些人来说，大麻可能有助于缓解焦虑、PTSD和其他心理健康问题。重要的是要意识到大麻可能会与某些精神药物发生相互作用，可能会影响这些药物的效果。

大麻对记忆力有什么影响？

大麻对记忆力的影响主要体现在它可能会影响海马体，这是大脑中帮助处理新记忆的部分。研究表明，大麻的使用可能会导致短期记忆问题，尤其是在使用后的一段时间内。长期和频繁使用大麻可能会对年轻人的海马体发育产生影响，但这种认知障碍需要更多的研究来确定。

大麻是否会增加体重？

大麻可能会增加食欲，这通常被称为“大麻饥饿症”。这是因为大麻中的THC可以影响大脑的下丘脑，导致用户感到饥饿。此外，大麻还可能导致增加食欲的激素Ghrelin的产生，从而使进食体验比平时更加满足。然而，尽管短期内可能会增加体重，但长期研究表明，定期使用大麻并不一定会导致体重增加。

大麻是否会上瘾？

大麻确实有可能导致依赖性，但与某些其他物质相比，其成瘾潜力通常较低。只有大约10%到20%的日常大麻用户可能会发展成依赖。依赖性的发展与使用频率、剂量和个人易感性有关。尽管如此，大麻的使用障碍确实存在，并且可能需要专业的治疗和干预来解决。

大麻对肺部健康有什么影响？

长期吸烟可能会对肺部健康产生负面影响，包括增加痰液产生和影响呼吸道细胞。尽管大麻烟雾可能不像烟草烟雾那样致癌，但它仍然含有可能对肺部有害的化学物质。一些研究表明，大麻吸烟者比非吸烟者更有可能经历呼吸道问题，但目前还没有足够的研究来确定大麻烟雾是否会导致肺癌。

大麻对工作表现有什么影响？

大麻的使用可能会影响工作表现，尤其是在需要高度集中注意力和快速反应的任务中。大麻可能会减慢反应时间，影响动机和注意力，这可能会对工作表现产生负面影响。然而，这种影响通常是暂时的，并且在最后一次使用后的12小时左右可能会恢复正常。

大麻对情绪有什么影响？

大麻可能会引起情绪变化，包括增加焦虑、抑郁和情绪波动的风险。然而，对于一些人来说，大麻可能会帮助缓解焦虑和压力，提供一种放松的感觉。大麻对情绪的影响很大程度上取决于个人的使用模式、剂量和个体对大麻的反应。

大麻对社交焦虑有帮助吗？

大麻可能会对社交焦虑产生不同的影响。对于一些人来说，它可能会减轻社交焦虑，提供一种放松的感觉，使社交活动变得更容易。然而，对于其他人来说，大麻可能会增加焦虑感，导致社交场合中的不适和紧张。因此，大麻对社交焦虑的影响是个体差异很大的，并且可能取决于大麻的剂量和个人对大麻的敏感性。

Outlines

00:00

🌿 Legalization and Perception of Marijuana

The script begins by questioning the effects of daily marijuana use for a month, focusing on both physical and psychological impacts. It highlights the changing legal landscape with marijuana being legal for recreational use in many US states and territories, and decriminalized in others. Public opinion leans towards acceptance, with a significant majority supporting legal and medical use. The script challenges past negative propaganda, such as the film 'Reefer Madness,' and discusses the drug's current social acceptance, even in traditionally conservative places like Thailand, which is experiencing a 'weed explosion.'

05:01

🧠 Psychological Effects and Individual Reactions

This section delves into the psychological effects of marijuana, addressing myths about its capacity to induce violence and the reality that it's less likely to cause aggression compared to alcohol. It acknowledges potential antisocial behavior and the increased risk of psychosis, particularly among those with a predisposition. The script emphasizes that marijuana's effects can vary widely, with some users experiencing paranoia and anxiety. It also touches on the drug's impact on memory and cognitive function, suggesting that while short-term memory might be affected, long-term cognitive impairment in adolescents is a subject that requires further research.

10:03

🍔 Physical Consequences: The 'Munchies' and Body Changes

The paragraph discusses the physical effects of marijuana, particularly the induction of hunger known as 'the munchies.' It references studies on rats and humans that suggest THC can increase hunger by affecting the brain's hypothalamus and hormone production. Despite potential weight gain, the script notes that regular marijuana users may not necessarily become overweight in the long term. It also addresses the impact on motivation and reaction times, suggesting that while marijuana use can temporarily reduce motivation and slow reaction times, these effects may lessen over time or after a break from use.

15:06

🚬 Long-Term Smoking and Respiratory Health

This section focuses on the long-term effects of smoking marijuana, including potential damage to the lungs and the increased production of phlegm. It compares the risks of smoking marijuana to those of tobacco use, noting that while marijuana smoke may not be as harmful, it still poses risks, including the potential for lung cancer and emphysema. The script also mentions studies that have found higher rates of emphysema in marijuana smokers compared to non-smokers and tobacco smokers. It concludes by acknowledging the complexity and the need for more research to fully understand the risks associated with marijuana smoke inhalation.

20:08

🔥 Vaping, Addiction, and Quitting Marijuana

The script addresses the emerging trend of vaping marijuana and the associated health concerns, such as potential links to chronic lung disease and asthma. It also explores the concept of marijuana addiction and the reality of withdrawal symptoms, which are generally mild compared to other substances. The paragraph highlights that while dependence is possible, it is less severe than with substances like alcohol or benzodiazepines. It concludes by emphasizing the importance of personal assessment and moderation in marijuana use.

25:08

💭 Personal Experiences and the Quest for Self-Knowledge

The final paragraph shares personal stories of individuals who have quit long-term marijuana use, detailing their experiences with withdrawal and the changes they noticed in their lives, such as improved dreaming and mood. It underscores the importance of self-awareness and education when it comes to marijuana use, encouraging potential users to approach the drug with caution and to consider its effects on their mental health and overall well-being.

Keywords

💡Cannabis

Cannabis, commonly known as marijuana or weed, is a plant that contains the psychoactive component THC, which is responsible for the 'high' associated with its use. The video discusses the various effects of cannabis on the human body and mind, including both potential benefits and risks. It also touches on the legal status of cannabis, which varies across different states and countries, with some places legalizing it for medical or recreational use, while others have decriminalized or maintained its illegal status. The term 'cannabis' is used to describe the plant and its derivatives, emphasizing its complexity as both a recreational drug and a medicinal substance.

💡Psychoactive

Psychoactive refers to substances that affect mental processes such as mood, consciousness, and perception. In the context of the video, cannabis is described as a psychoactive drug due to its active compounds like THC, which alter the user's mental state. This property of cannabis is central to discussions about its recreational use and potential psychological effects, which can include relaxation, euphoria, or anxiety, depending on the individual and the dosage.

💡Legalization

Legalization in the video pertains to the process of making cannabis use legally permissible within a jurisdiction. It is noted that cannabis has been legalized for recreational use in 25 US states, and for medical use in even more, reflecting a trend towards broader acceptance. Legalization is significant as it impacts the regulation, taxation, and societal views on cannabis use, and it is a key factor in the ongoing debate about drug policy and public health.

💡Withdrawal

Withdrawal symptoms are physical and psychological reactions that can occur when someone who has been using cannabis regularly stops or reduces their usage. The video suggests that while cannabis withdrawal is not as severe as that of some other substances, it can still be uncomfortable, with symptoms such as irritability, mood swings, and sleep disturbances. Understanding withdrawal is important for assessing the potential risks of dependence and the challenges of cessation.

💡THC

THC, or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, is the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis. It is the element that gives users the characteristic 'high' associated with marijuana use. The video discusses THC in relation to the strength of modern cannabis strains, which are often much stronger than those from the past, and the potential for stronger effects on the user's mind and body.

💡CBD

CBD, or cannabidiol, is a non-psychoactive compound found in cannabis that is increasingly being studied for its potential therapeutic uses. Unlike THC, CBD does not produce a 'high' but has been reported to have various medical benefits, such as reducing anxiety and inflammation. The video mentions CBD as part of the broader discussion on the different compounds in cannabis and their respective effects.

💡Dependence

Dependence, as discussed in the video, refers to the development of both physical and psychological reliance on a substance, in this case, cannabis. It is a state where the body has become accustomed to the presence of THC and may experience withdrawal symptoms if use is stopped. The concept of dependence is crucial in understanding the potential risks associated with regular cannabis use.

💡Decriminalization

Decriminalization is a policy approach that reduces the penalties for the possession or use of small amounts of cannabis, typically making it a civil offense rather than a criminal one. The video notes that several US states have decriminalized cannabis, which means that while it is not legal, individuals are less likely to face severe criminal penalties for possession. This is an important distinction from legalization and reflects a middle ground in drug policy.

💡Recreational Use

Recreational use of cannabis refers to the consumption of marijuana for non-medical purposes, typically for relaxation or enjoyment. The video discusses the trend towards the legalization of recreational cannabis in various jurisdictions and the shift in public opinion that has accompanied this change. It also touches on the potential risks and benefits associated with recreational use, including issues of dependence and the impact on mental health.

💡Medical Use

Medical use of cannabis refers to the consumption of marijuana or its derivatives for therapeutic purposes, such as pain relief, treatment of certain medical conditions, or as a component in medical research. The video mentions the growing acceptance of medical cannabis, with many states allowing its use for specific conditions, highlighting the dual nature of cannabis as both a recreational substance and a potential medicine.

Highlights

Smoking marijuana daily for a month can have various effects on both body and mind.

Legal status of marijuana is changing, with more states legalizing or decriminalizing its use.

Public opinion is shifting towards acceptance, with a majority supporting legal recreational and medical use.

Myths about marijuana causing violence are debunked, with evidence suggesting it's less harmful than alcohol.

Marijuana is a psychoactive drug that affects the nervous system and can alter perception.

Some individuals may be sensitive to marijuana, experiencing intense or unpleasant effects.

Marijuana contains over 483 compounds, with THC and CBD being the most studied.

There is a risk of psychotic experiences with marijuana use, especially for those with a predisposition.

Long-term marijuana use may increase the risk of heart issues, but the link is not definitive.

Marijuana can cause short-term memory problems due to its effect on the hippocampus.

Regular marijuana use may not lead to significant weight gain despite the 'munchies'.

Marijuana has been a beneficial treatment for many suffering from chronic pain.

Studies show that marijuana can help with anxiety for some, but not all, users.

Marijuana smoke may not be as harmful as tobacco smoke, but it still poses risks to lung health.

Marijuana withdrawal symptoms are generally mild compared to other substances.

Dependency on marijuana is possible, but the risk varies among individuals.

Quitting marijuana after long-term use can lead to improved sleep and dreaming.

The decision to use marijuana should be based on personal assessment of its effects on mental and physical health.

Transcripts

Can smoking the devil's lettuce every day for a month be bad for you?

What happens to your body exactly, or more importantly, what happens to your mind?

And what if you suddenly quit?

Will you pay for your month of indulgence with a nasty withdrawal?

Humanity has come a long way where weed is concerned.

It’s now legal for recreational use in 25 US states, plus three territories and Washington

D.C.

A further seven states in the US have decriminalized it, meaning it’s not legal, but you won’t

be prosecuted for taking it.

This trend towards general acceptance seems to align with the general public’s opinion.

Surveys show that 88% of Americans think it should be legal for recreational and medical

use.

The world is changing.

It seems like it won’t be long until weed is legal or decriminalized in many more countries.

That’s because word on the street is that weed isn’t half as bad as those Puritans

from the past made it out to be.

Even some of the strictest nations where drugs are concerned have done an about-turn on weed.

We imagine a few of our viewers have been to Thailand in the last year and seen what

has been nothing short of a weed explosion, and this is a country that not long ago could

have put you behind some very nasty-looking bars for having a few grams of weed on your

person.

Entire streets these days in the tourist areas look like a fantasy dream of the deceased

Bob Marley.

Weed shops are everywhere.

It feels like walking through a weed wonderland.

The BBC called it just that, interviewing a guy who said the country is now “Amsterdam

on steroids,” but despite it being a veritable cash cow, there have been people, including

doctors, calling for a re-ban.

The government doesn’t look like it will change its stance.

Surely, if this is happening in conservative Thailand, weed can’t be that bad for you…

That’s what we’ll try and figure out in this video.

Let’s start day one by exploring some myths about this once-demonized drug.

One theory states that weed can make you mad, mad as in the angry type of mad.

And maybe even on your first day of smoking, making it extremely relevant for our 30 day

journey.

There have already been news articles in Thailand saying someone viciously attacked someone

else, and the now-legal weed was blamed.

Some of those stories reminded people of a long-gone era when misinformation about drugs

came out of almost every politician’s mouth.

In the past, we humans absolutely got weed, aka ganja, pot, grass, and herb, all wrong.

You only need to look at anti-weed propaganda films like 1937’s Reefer Madness, which

told us that weed had “its roots in hell” and if it doesn’t turn you into a killer

or compel you to sleep with the first person you see walking down the street, it’ll render

you in a state of “hopeless insanity.”

Here’s a line from a doctor in the movie explaining what happened to some kid who got

himself “addicted” to weed.

“Yes.

I remember.

Just a young boy...under the influence of the drug...he killed his entire family with

an axe.”

This line is the definition of nonsense.

You don’t even need the numerous scientific studies to tell you weed doesn’t usually

make people violent, unlike the very legal alcohol.

As the American comedian Bill Hicks once joked, “Pot is a better drug than alcohol.

I'll prove it to you.

You're at a ball game or a concert, and someone's really violent and aggressive and obnoxious,

are they drunk or are they smoking pot?”

That’s hardly scientific; it’s just an observation, but the people of the world would

very likely agree the answer is without a doubt alcohol.

With weed, there have been some studies that have suggested it could cause antisocial behavior.

One such study published by the National Institutes of Health told us, “A meta-analysis found

the risk of perpetrating violence was more than twice as high for young adults who used

marijuana.”

Another piece of nonsense we like is when President Ronald Reagan, during his war on

drugs days, said, “I now have absolute proof that smoking even one marijuana cigarette

is equal in brain damage to being on Bikini Island during an H-bomb blast.”

He was speaking absolute balderdash, but that doesn’t mean weed is completely safe where

the well-being of your body, or your mind, is concerned.

No drugs are 100% safe.

Before we get into the effects of weed smoking after day one, there’s something we need

to tell you about weed in general: the fact that it just isn’t for everyone.

And we mean, some people might have a very bad reaction the first time they take it,

especially if they do as many impressionable teenagers do, and get blasted before they’ve

checked they have a vehicle (brain) suitable for space travel.

You need to know that weed is a psychoactive drug.

It affects your nervous system.

It can alter how you think, what you see, and what you hear.

It gets you high.

How high is up to your tolerance, if you have a tolerance, and your unique body, and, of

course, what kind of weed you’ve been smoking?

It’s well known that weed today is often about ten times stronger than weed from half

a century ago.

Some people seem very sensitive to weed, and being very high can be almost like tripping

on psychedelics, not always very pleasant, yet others might feel a sense of well-being

but not be all that out there.

We all react differently.

Start slow, is our advice.

There are 483 known compounds in weed, but the ones most talked about are tetrahydrocannabinol

(THC), the one that is mainly responsible for the high, and cannabidiol (CBD), the one

presently being sold as a possible antidote to anxiety and depression or a cure for pain

and various diseases.

We’ll get back to this topic soon.

Weed might not be for you at all, and we mean, for some people, there’s just too big of

a risk.

There is evidence that it can cause psychotic experiences, especially if you’ve had them

before or they run in your family.

It’s rare, but be aware.

There are plenty of scientific papers that tell us cannabis is a known risk factor for

schizophrenia.

Still, according to one such paper published by the National Institutes of Health, “biological

events and a valid model of neurobiological mechanisms are lacking.”

That means they weren’t able to figure out what was going on in the brain when something

went wrong.

They couldn’t find the actual cause.

Nonetheless, it is well established that people on weed may become deluded – paranoid.

If you smoke weed and you begin to think all your friends are CIA agents who are trying

to control your mind in the 21st century’s version of MKUltra, you might be one of those

people who should stay away from weed.

We don't think the CIA does such things anymore.

For some, the craziness is fleeting.

They might find after a particularly large dose, they tell their friends, “Look!

My thumbs have gone weird.

My heart is beating like a BEEPED-up clock.”

That’s from an old cult classic comedy movie with some really funny weed parts.

It’s a film, but the writer obviously had experience with the drug in question.

Put your hand up if you've ever sneakily felt your heartbeat on weed because you imagine

something ain't right…

It can cause anxiety, and with some people, severe anxiety, leading to outlandish thoughts

about something that’s gone wrong with their body.

Again, we know some of you are now nodding your head.

Studies have shown long-term use of weed may increase the risk of heart issues, but it

doesn't cause your heart to beat fast enough it fails just after one smoke.

That's the anxiety talking.

Others say weed makes them feel disconnected from themselves (dissociative), and they may

hallucinate or just have some really disturbing, otherworldly thoughts.

We’re not trying to scare you, but this is stuff you ought to know.

It’s hard to understand how many people in a population will have a negative weed

experience.

In a Danish study consisting of thousands of people, the researchers said 30% of participants

who’d had a psychotic experience in their lives would likely not have had one had they

not ever ingested weed.

Still, many people will not have such negative psychological reactions, especially when they

take it in small amounts.

Millions consume weed every day, and they are a-okay.

A world drug report in 2013 said 180 million people had tried weed in the last year.

It’s thought there are about 219 million weed smokers on the planet right now.

The CDC says about 11.5% of Americans smoke it or did so in 2021.

In England and Wales, a study said 13.5% of 16- to 24-year-olds had it in the past year.

40% of those people said they’d used it at least once a month.

Most of them would have been fine, but some of them would have had negative experiences.

Another study we found said people who smoke weed are three times more likely to believe

people will harm them than people who don’t smoke weed.

Then, there was the study that tested people with an intravenous 1.5mg dose of either THC

or a placebo, meaning nothing.

The researchers found that the weed consumers were 30% more likely to have some amount of

paranoia.

Other negative experiences included lowered mood, worry, anxiety, and negative thoughts

about themselves.

So, with all that in mind, you should start slowly with weed and see how it goes.

Let’s say you like it and want to smoke again.

Day one of weed is over.

It’s now day two.

You may have noticed some forgetfulness, especially around the time you smoked the weed yesterday.

Unlike those times you were wasted on alcohol, you haven’t woken up in a strange bed with

a penis scrawled on your cheek, but your memory is a bit fuzzy from around the time you smoked.

There’s a reason for that.

Cannabis affects something called the hippocampus, a part of the brain that helps you process

new memories.

Studies on rats that were given regular doses of weed showed they struggled to remember

how to do various tasks.

There was even long-term impairment, but these rats were stoned throughout their entire young

lives.

You are not a rat and haven’t been smoking weed for years on end, but this is something

to bear in mind.

Studies have shown that regular weed use in young people can affect how the hippocampus

develops, but such cognitive impairment, like many things related to weed, needs to be studied

more.

Your month on weed almost certainly isn’t going to change the structure of your brain

in any significant way for the rest of your life.

You may have some short-term memory problems when you get stoned again today, but you don’t

need to sweat the long-term stuff yet.

In fact, some studies have shown regular weed use may help stave off neurodegenerative diseases

that affect memory, like Alzheimer’s and Huntington's Chorea.

Let’s say you’ve now been hitting the weed for five days on the trot.

Sure, you have some patchy memory days, but in general, since you’re the kind of person

who likes weed and has positive experiences with it, you actually feel fine.

You haven’t really experienced any changes.

We mean, the middle-aged, long-haired guy that’s been selling it to you, the one who’s

always wearing that old Ween t-shirt, says he’s been smoking every day since 1997,

and he says he’s fine.

Well, he does seem to have some motivation issues.

Many people do, which is why Afroman wrote the song lyrics:

“I was gonna clean my room until I got high/I gonna get up and find the broom, but then

I got high/My room is still messed up, and I know why.”

Again, that’s not scientific, but many people have said such things.

We’ll come back to the topic of motivation soon.

Another thing you’ve noticed is you’ve put on a few pounds.

As the rapper Master P said in a song: “You the captain, I'm the crunch you got

that dinner, I got the lunch.

Hit the weed, pass the blunts.

Your eyes red, you got the munchies.”

A paper in the journal Nature, again based on stoned rodents, said the THC in weed can

cause changes in the brain’s hypothalamus, tricking the rat into thinking it is hungry.

There’s evidence that smoking weed can lead to an increase in the production of the hormone

Ghrelin, which can create hunger pangs.

Not only that, but weed leads to increases in the feelgood chemical dopamine, so the

experience of eating that food could feel much more satisfying than normal.

If you’re a weed smoker, we don't need to tell you this.

You’ve all raided the fridge at 2 am like a ravenous zombie after getting the weed munchies.

Still, while you’ve put on a few pounds, studies have shown that regular weed use does

not generally lead to weight gain in the long run.

In fact, some studies show pot smokers might have a lower body mass index on average.

We should just add here that there are so many studies out there, and so many are contradictory,

that figuring out the mystery of weed is going to take a lot more work.

You could literally spend a day googling all the good stuff about weed and think it was

the answer to all the world’s problems.

You could do the opposite and soon become scared out of your wits.

It’s always best to analyze various studies or at least know they exist.

Let’s also remember here that people wouldn’t do it if it didn’t make them feel good.

As the book (and movie) Trainspotting said about an illegal substance, not weed, but

it works for all substances: “People think it's all about misery and

desperation and death and all that [BLEEP], which is not to be ignored, but what they

forget is the pleasure of it.

Otherwise, we wouldn't do it.”

Sticking with the positives, for many people suffering from chronic pain, weed has been

a Godsend.

You yourself have had neuropathic pain in your back for years, but now you’ve been

smoking weed for a few days, there’s been a considerable reversal of pain levels.

The reason for this is that a person’s peripheral nerves, the nerves that detect pain sensations,

contain lots of receptors for cannabinoids.

Scientists now think that cannabinoids might block peripheral nerve pain.

Studies have shown this to be true in animals.

Still, as you might know, the mind plays a big part when it comes to pain.

You may have heard of the nocebo effect when people feel pain when they shouldn’t be

feeling pain.

A good example is the case of the guy who went to the ER with a long nail stuck through

his work boot.

He was screaming and screaming, telling doctors that even the opiates they were giving him

weren’t working.

When they finally sawed his boot off, they saw the nail had actually gone through the

gap between his toes.

Embarrassed, the guy was suddenly pain-free.

But for him, he really did feel that pain.

And with cannabis, there’s now good evidence that it can act as a placebo where pain is

concerned.

Studies have shown that when people with pain took a placebo that looked, smelled, and tasted

like weed, they felt a reduction in their pain levels.

We’ve known for decades that when someone takes a placebo for pain, certain neurotransmitters

are released in the brain, including what are called endocannabinoids.

But there have also been some negative reactions, especially now you’ve been smoking it for

ten days.

You seem to be less motivated.

Studies have shown that after weed consumption, people can indeed be less motivated.

One study showed that participants who’d had weed were less likely to press buttons

for a reward.

Still, this study showed that if people waited 12 hours, their motivation returned.

Now you’ve realized that taking a long break from weed smoking is sometimes good.

Long-term smokers of weed don’t need studies to tell them overdoing it can make them a

bit sluggish and not exactly in the mood to get things done as fast as possible.

It’s the same with reaction times.

You’ve noticed that when you’re stoned, you may float like a butterfly but not exactly

sting like a bee.

Researchers have said that this might have something to do with the brain's thalamus-corticostriatal

circuit.

The Nature Journal tells us this controls “movement execution, habit formation, and

reward.”

Receptors in here bind with THC, and this can slow down someone’s perception of time.

In a study in 2012, scientists said 70% of participants who smoked weed experienced what

seemed like a stretching of time.

Time moved more slowly, and this might have something to do with slowed reaction times.

Studies have shown that performance can be affected.

These are controversial studies, given people smoke weed and drive cars or operate planes

or machinery.

One study we found showed that when users had to perform a task after ingesting weed

for four days, only had slower reaction times on the first day of the experiment.

It seems that they got used to it.

Another study, a meta-study, concluded, “Some lower quality studies have reported ‘next

day’ effects of THC on cognitive function and safety-sensitive tasks.

However, most studies, including some of higher quality, have found no such effect.”

But you’ve been taking it easy, so your reaction times are not that different from

usual, certainly after 12 hours from your last smoke.

You also seemed much more prone to slowness on the first few days you smoked.

This seems to be getting better the more days you smoke.

Like most people in the world, the effects seem to completely go away between two and

four hours, but another thing you’ve realized is that after 12 days on the stuff, you’ve

started to get more anxious.

This is because a part of your brain called the amygdala is stimulated by weed.

The studies on anxiety and cannabis use can be very contradictory.

For some people, weed helped with their anxiety, but for others, they experienced an increase

in anxiety after long-term use, although the causal links were not clear.

In a 2017 survey consisting of 9,000 American regular weed smokers, 70% said it gave them

noticeable health benefits, with almost 50% saying it relieved anxiety.

Others said it helped with their PTSD.

Some said it had a positive effect on their phobias, and some said it helped with sleep

and social anxiety, but others said it caused anxiety, especially when they consumed weed

with high levels of THC.

It’s a bit of an each-to-their-own situation.

In your case, the anxiety has only been fleeting, and you only experienced it when you had consumed

a lot more weed than usual.

It’s around this point in your 30 day experience that you notice the effect weed is having

on your lungs.

This is mostly a silent effect, although admittedly, the other day, you coughed up something that

made you think of the movie Ghostbusters.

Just be aware that chronic weed smoking can increase phlegm production.

You’ve been smoking for quite a while now, and this might have affected the cell linings

of the large airways in your body, which has led to coughing up that ball of slime.

Still, you don’t mix the weed with tobacco as many people in the UK do when they often

make those huge baseball bat spliffs in their Rizla-based works of art.

The question is, is smoking weed safe just because you don’t mix it with tobacco?

A 2021 study showed that 44% of Americans believed that smoking weed every day is better

for you than smoking cigarettes every day.

Of course, the amount you smoke matters.

People generally smoke way more cigarettes than weed joints.

Still, smoke from weed is still not great for you.

Scientists say it may still cause lung cancer and emphysema.

The problem is scientists haven’t figured out just how bad weed smoke is for you.

Not enough studies have been done, something we’ve seen a thousand times while researching

this show.

One of the studies was conducted at the Ottawa Hospital General in Canada.

Researchers compared 150 lung scans from weed smokers, tobacco-only smokers, and non-smokers.

The researchers reported that rates of emphysema, meaning an inflammation of the airway, were

higher in weed smokers than they were in tobacco smokers.

Still, we are talking about 75% compared to 70%.

Only 5% of non-smokers had it.

As for the big C, the Mayo Clinic says cannabis “may” cause lung cancer, but there’s

not enough evidence right now to say that it definitely does.

Then again, there’s also evidence that the compounds in cannabis have, in some instances,

been shown to kill certain types of cancer cells, including those found in breast, lung,

prostate, and skin cancer.

Again, we must reiterate that there have been some very positive results, but only with

some people, so we definitely can’t say cannabis, mainly CBD, will help someone beat

cancer.

One thing it seems to do for scores of people is help with their cancer pain, which is why

more and more countries have given it the green light to be used in limited medical

instaces.

On the other hand, you also have the genotoxic effects of oxidized hydrocarbons that occur

when you burn cannabis, which has been said to create genetic changes that could potentially

lead to a carcinogenic state.

A paper published by the National Institutes of Health said weed joints “deliver at least

four times as much tar to the lungs as tobacco cigarettes of equivalent weight,” explaining

that it’s because, in these joints, there are not usually any filters and people tend

to hold weed smoke in longer.

In short, when you compare weed smokers or cigarette smokers with non-smokers, the incidence

of respiratory problems is much higher; one study showed it was one in three compared

to one in twelve, but we still can’t say for sure if cannabis causes cancer.

In one study, a big one, out of 65,000 people, it seemed marijuana use might have had a negative

effect on prostate cancer but not any of the many other cancers.

The participants were aged 15 to 49 only, so more studies looking at older people would

have to be done since cancer is more common in older folks.

We are not going to tell you that regularly smoking weed doesn’t cause cancer, but we

are also not going to tell you it definitely can.

What we will say is your month on weed is certainly not the riskiest thing you’ll

ever do in your life.

But you are inhaling smoke, and while it might not be as carcinogenic as some news articles

might suggest, it’s very possible that this experience is damaging your lungs.

As things stand, with you now having smoked weed daily for three weeks, we don’t think

there will be any substantial damage.

If you smoked joints every day for years, well, your lungs will suffer.

Just how much, we just can’t say.

It gets even more confusing when you read about vaping weed.

Vaporizer devices activate cannabinoids, but they don’t heat the goodness to the point

of combustion.

You might read this and think, great, the vape it is then, but then you read vaping

articles such as this one from Johns Hopkins Medicine:

“Emerging data suggests links to chronic lung disease and asthma, as well as associations

between dual use of e-cigarettes and smoking with cardiovascular disease.”

But that same article also said we still don’t have a definitive answer as to how bad vaping

is for your body.

We do know that when you do vape, you also inhale harmful chemicals, and some doctors

in the US have said they’ve seen more and more people coming to see them with conditions

that could very well be related to their vaping habit.

You all probably know former smokers who now vape, and they look like steam trains most

of the day.

Still, no one vapes weed in such high quantities.

You’ve now been smoking weed daily for almost the full month.

Will it be hard to quit?

Is weed addictive?

Yet again, this question is not easy to answer.

Not all substance addictions and withdrawals are the same.

If you have a physical addiction to alcohol or benzodiazepines (Valium, etc), coming right

off after a long time can actually be very dangerous.

You might not only have seizures that can and do kill, but in terms of mental well-being,

you might think you’ve been plunged into anxiety hell, and we do mean hell.

This is related to the effect these drugs have on your GABA receptors.

In layman's terms, if a substance makes you very relaxed, your brain might stop creating

chemicals that usually make you chilled, so when you stop, the very opposite of being

relaxed happens to you.

It’s the same for people who stop taking opiates and become incredibly restless and

depressed.

But what about weed?

Does that kick the poop out of you when your body no longer has it?

Actually, with cannabis withdrawal, you are definitely not going to experience anything

like we just mentioned.

But there is something called marijuana use disorder.

People have been known to become dependent on weed.

Their body craves the physiological changes that weed has been giving them.

They can develop a tolerance, so they need more and more.

Still, it’s said only 10 to 20% of daily weed users will develop a dependence.

There will be some mild withdrawal symptoms when they stop, maybe lasting around two weeks.

These might include cravings, irritability, decreased appetite, mood and sleep difficulties,

restlessness, and other kinds of physical discomfort.

A paper in the National Institute of Drug Abuse in the US stated, “In 2015, about

4.0 million people in the United States met the diagnostic criteria for a marijuana use

disorder; 138,000 voluntarily sought treatment for their marijuana use.”

With any psychoactive substance, there’s no clear line you can cross as to how long

and how much you can actually consume before developing a dependency.

Everyone is different.

There are cases of people smoking weed for years and having zero problems stopping, or

maybe just mild issues.

Then you have people who’ve smoked for shorter periods of time who feel pretty bad after

stopping.

But on the whole, in terms of withdrawal symptoms, weed is far, far less dangerous than many

substances we use to change the way we feel.

Weed withdrawal is a gazillion times safer than if you were a regular consumer of things

such as Xanax, Percocet, or Johnny Walker.

Still, you should be aware that becoming dependent on weed is possible – studies show that

this is a disproportionately bigger problem for younger people.

Ok, so your one month is up.

To be honest, since you’ve taken your weed sensibly, you feel fine.

You are aware of all the psychological dangers some people face with weed consumption, but

it seems, for now, you are not one of those people who react badly to it.

That said, if you keep this up, there is a very real possibility you’ll damage your

lungs, and there’s also a possibility you’ll develop a dependence.

Still, since you feel better, are sleeping well, have less social anxiety, and your work

hasn’t been negatively affected, you think you’ll carry on, although just to be safe,

you’re going to limit your smoking to small doses just a few times a week.

Many people don’t even know why they smoke weed.

They might tell you, “The reasons?

There are no reasons.

Who needs reasons when you've got weed?”

One person interviewed in The Guardian felt that way for 40+ years.

She got to the point that she didn’t even know if she enjoyed it anymore.

She said in the interview, “I smoked to go to work, smoked to do the washing-up, smoked

for chill time.”

In the end, she said her lungs started to hurt, and her gums regularly bled.

She didn’t know why she wanted it, but she craved it when she didn’t have it.

One day, she realized she’d gone two days without weed and then just thought, ok, enough

is enough.

She craved it for sure, but with the help of meetings and counseling, she stopped completely.

And guess what?

She started dreaming again.

That’s something you noticed when you smoked for a month.

You didn’t dream.

Many people don't regularly smoke weed because it interrupts the amount of time people spend

in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep - when most people dream.

Dreaming was one of the big changes for her, but everyone is different where cannabis withdrawal

is concerned.

These are some comments made by people who quit after many years of daily smoking:

“I just quit after 10 [years] as well... just cold turkey it, no withdrawal symptoms.”

“The withdrawals have not been fun, I’ve lost 4 lbs. in two days because it’s really

hard to eat.

Mentally, I feel really clear and happy.”

“My boyfriend stopped smoking weed like 2/3 months ago, and I am noticing that his

behavior is different.

He is more angry and not as sweet as he used to be.”

And this one: “I quit after about six years of smoking

every day.

It made me anxious and awkward in social situations.

I would overanalyze things and think really weird/delusional thoughts.

Forget about talking to girls.

I couldn’t handle it.

Since I quit, all these things went away.”

As it said on the walls of the Temple of Apollo in ancient Greece, “Know thyself.”

With weed, you have to educate yourself and assess if it is good for your mental health

while adding up the pros and cons as to how it will affect your body and life in general.

If you absolutely want to experience weed, we suggest wading in slowly rather than diving

straight into the deep.

It can be a mysterious ocean out there, and you never know what you might find.

As we've told you many times today, scientists haven’t yet plumbed all the depths of Mary

Jane, not entirely.

For a more indepth dive into the withdrawal effects of weed check out “What Happens

To Your Body When You Stop Smoking Weed” Or check out “What Does Heroin Do To Your

Body?”