It’s not as bad as drinking alcohol but the next time you light up to get that mellow high, think about what it is doing to both your body and your brain.
1. THC
THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the chemical responsible for most of marijuana’s psychological effects. THC stimulates cells in the brain to release dopamine, creating euphoria and can cause hallucinations, change thinking and cause delusions. On average, the effects last about two hours, and kick in 10 to 30 minutes after ingestion. Users like it because of the effects, including feelings of relaxation, giddiness, and that characteristic stoner ‘chill.’
2. Inhaling
When you inhale, eat, or otherwise consume marijuana, THC enters the bloodstream (or the lungs first if you’re smoking) where it makes its way to special cannabinoid receptors in the brain that normally interact with naturally occurring body chemicals. Marijuana smoke contains a similar range of harmful chemicals to that of tobacco smoke including bronchial irritants, tumor promoters and carcinogens. when smoking marijuana compared to tobacco, there is a prolonged and deeper inhalation and it is smoked to a shorter butt length and at a higher combustion temperature. Inhaling from a ‘joint’ results in approximately 5 times the carbon monoxide concentration, 3 times the tar, and higher levels of ammonia as compared to tobacco, though no study has shown a correlation between cancer and smoking marijuana.
