WHAT WEED DOES TO YOUR BRAIN

I’ve heard preachers say that you cannot truly be content without God. That’s not entirely true. You can be perfectly content with weed, a little cheese, chocolate or some puffed Cheetos.

So let’s dive into what weed does to your brain and how to handle it responsibly.

A Primer

Cannabis, like most plants, produces hundreds of chemical compounds. These compounds are grouped into different families based on their chemical structure. Some are called alkaloids, flavonoids, or terpenes.

Cannabinoids

The cannabis plant also produces compounds found only in cannabis plants called cannabinoids. Scientists have identified over 100 cannabinoids so far and they’re just starting to figure out what they all do.

THC & CBD

The ones you’ve probably heard of are tetrahydrocanabinol (THC) which produces the mind-altering, psychoactive effects and cannabidiol (CBD) which doesn’t.

THC makes you feel high. CBD does not. They are both cannabinoids that are only found in cannabis plants.

The combination of CBD, THC and things like alkaloids, flavonoids and terpenes work together to create different effects on different parts of the body.

Medical

Used for medical purposes cannabis can help relieve chronic pain, anxiety, sleeping disorders, depression, PTSD, neuropathy and multiple sclerosis. It can also reduce nausea, improve appetite, relieve period cramps, epilepsy and muscle spasms.

Recreational

Cannabis can also just make life A Lot More Interesting for a few hours.

Weed brings the world into sharper focus, relaxes the body, reduces anxiety, jazzes up dust busting, makes Disney movies like Coco pure joy or a simple walk around the block ethereal.

Not For Everyone

It can also be an uncomfortable and anxiety inducing experience as well. Not everyone enjoys weed and not everyone needs to.

The important thing to remember is that everybody’s biology is different and people don’t necessarily react the same way to the exact same weed. Every dose is personal, snowflake. How it effects you can depend on factors as diverse as your age, genetics, size, body mass index, history of use and method of ingestion.

Every Dose is Personal

Not only that, but how the exact same weed from the exact same source makes you feel can change as well. The amount of chemical compounds in the plant depends on a range of variables including the time of day it’s harvested and how it’s stored. There are no guarantees. It’s an imprecise science and experimentation is part of the process.

Journal That Shit

If you are going to experiment it’s a great idea to keep a journal. Track how you feel. Does it make you feel relaxed? Happy? Anxious? It might be the strain and it might not be your thing. Trust yourself, and treat it with the respect it deserves. Take notes. See what works.

Go To a Dispensary

If you live in Uruguay, Canada, DC or one of the 10 states where recreational use is legal, you’re lucky. With the exception of DC, you can stroll into a dispensary and get a crash course in all things cannabis from a perky, sober, well-informed budtender. They’ll answer all your questions and spend as much time with you as you want. They love talking weed. It’s, like, their job.

Ask Questions

Find a dispensary where you feel comfortable asking anything and everything. Above all, if you don’t like how you’re treated, keep going until you find a place you like.

No Guarantees

It’s important to note that where it’s illegal it’s unregulated, and even where it is legal, regulation is a work-in-progress and should be viewed with a critical eye if not a healthy dose of skepticism.

One of the benefits of legalizing weed is that in states where it’s legal consumers have the right to ask for the lab results where the weed is tested. Which is ultimately the goal of legalization. Knowing what you’re getting, and how much you’re taking.

Bonus.