How marijuana affects the mind

Marijuana reaches the same pleasure centers in the brain that are targeted by
heroin, cocaine and alcohol.
Depending on the quantity, quality and method of consumption, marijuana can
produce a feeling of euphoria or high by stimulating brain cells to release the
chemical dopamine. When smoked or otherwise inhaled, the feeling of euphoria is
almost immediate. When ingested in food, it takes much longer, even hours, for the
drug to signal the brain to release the dopamine, according to the National
Institutes of Health.
Other changes in mood can occur, with relaxation frequently being reported. Some
users experience heightened sensory perception, with colors appearing more vivid
and noises being louder. For some, marijuana can cause an altered perception of
time and increased appetite, known as the munchies.
The impact can vary by person, how often they have used the drug, the strength of
the drug and how often it has been since they have gotten high, among other
factors.
Other effects, according to the NIH, include:

Feelings of panic, anxiety and fear (paranoia)

Hallucinations

Increased heart rate

Trouble concentrating

Decreased ability to perform tasks that require coordination

Decreased interest in completing tasks

When coming down from the high, users may feel depressed or extremely tired.
While marijuana use produces a mellow experience (users are sometimes referred
to as stoners) for some, it can heighten agitation, anxiety, insomnia and
irritability, according to the NIH.
Marijuana and teens
When marijuana use begins in the teen years, it can have a significant impact on
brain development, including decreased brain activity, fewer neural fibers in certain
areas and a smaller than average hippocampus, which controls learning and
memory functions.
According to a Northwestern Medicine study of teen marijuana users, memoryrelated structures in the brain appeared to shrink, a possible signs of a decrease in
neurons.

These abnormalities remained two years after the teen stopped using marijuana,
indicating that the drug has long-term effects and look similar to brains of
schizophrenics.
Those who started using marijuana after 21 generally do not experience the same
type of brain abnormalities as those who started using the drug earlier.
Long-term users report that they sometimes have trouble thinking clearly,
organizing their thoughts, multitasking and remembering things. Sustained
marijuana use can also slow reaction times in some individuals.
How marijuana affects the body
Marijuana smoke can cause many of the same respiratory problems experienced by
tobacco smokers, such as increased daily cough and phlegm production, more
frequent acute chest illnesses such as bronchitis, and a greater instance of lung
infections, according to NIDA.
While it had been thought that there was a connection between marijuana smoking
and increased risk of lung cancer, even those who are heavy marijuana users do not
appear to be at greater risk for lung cancer, according to a 2013 study by Dr.
Donald Tashkin, UCLA professor of pulmonary and critical care medicine.
Marijuana can also raise heart rate by 20 percent to 100 percent shortly after
smoking and the effect can last up to three hours, according to NIDA.
While it is widely thought that marijuana is not addictive, about 9 percent of users
become addicted to marijuana. Long-term marijuana users who try to quit
experience cravings, irritability, sleeplessness, decreased appetite and anxiety
some of the same physical symptoms of those trying to quit other types of drugs or
alcohol.
Several studies indicate that heavy marijuana use can lower the ability to fight
infection and have an adverse impact on the immune system. Marijuana also can
reduce sperm production in men and disrupts a womans menstrual cycle, according
to NIDA.
This article
advice.

is for informational purposes only, and is not meant to offer medical

Pot Quiz: Test Your Marijuana Knowledge, Dude!

You might not think marijuana and quizzes go together, but on the
assumption that you arrived at this quiz sober, we pose some serious
questions that will require your utmost attention and critical thinking
skills. Good luck.

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