As a matter of fact, medical marijuana or weed has been legalized in various American and Canadian states due to its incredible health benefits. It is extracted from the cannabis plant and users have reported health wonders with regular use.
They say marijuana is entirely safe when used in a moderate dose. Still, we cannot neglect the fact that a lot of people use it for recreational purposes and it can be deadly when used excessively.
In this article today, I’m going to highlight the hidden part of the story. Let me share with you a few shocking ways in which marijuana affects your brain. The idea behind it is to raise awareness of how harmful the substance can be when used for recreational purposes.
Table of Contents
Memory Problems
Lots of people take weed prior to studying for an exam as they believe it benefits memory and increases stamina. However, they’re unaware of the fact that weed has certain long-term side effects.
That’s right, guys! Bulk weed, when consumed regularly, can affect memory. It makes significant changes to the hippocampus, a part of the brain that processes information. Henceforth, it can affect the memory formation of your brain, making it weaker day by day.
Although the immediate effects of marijuana are quite pleasant, it’s wise not to ignore the long-term side effects. Thus, it’s discouraged to use weed for recreational purposes.
Impaired Judgement
This one is linked to the one mentioned above. As we know that weed affects the hippocampus, an area that processes information. It does not just affect the memory but impairs our judgment skills as well.
How? Well, if you won’t be able to process the information in the correct manner, how on earth can you make a judgment or decision? It’s a severe issue that can affect your everyday life as well as your lifestyle in general.
Delayed Reaction Time
What happens when you hold something too hot or too cold? The nerves in the body notify your brain about the potential danger and your body reacts accordingly, saving you the trouble. Weed is something that can alter your nerve response, coordination system, and balance.
As a result, it affects your ability to think before speaking, process emotions, stay in control, drive, and more. This thing we call the delayed reaction time can negatively affect your entire existence, making you prone to self-harm and injury.
Dopamine Release
Here’s one point that may be positive for some while negative for others. It’s no surprise that weed can take you into the world of fairy tales. It triggers feelings of euphoria by increasing the number of dopamine in the body.
It also affects your sensory perception, making you more sensitive to the sounds around you. It is precisely why a person who’s under the influence of weed is more likely to get scared from nearby sounds at night compared to the one who’s sane.
The reason being, the person who isn’t high can process the sound and know the cause behind it. Meanwhile, the person who’s high is going to suffer due to the altered sensory perception and delayed reaction time.
Insomnia
As I mentioned before, people often neglect the long-term effects of using marijuana. It may offer relaxation when used regularly, but what will happen when you quit using it? Well, it’s a point to ponder.
Needless to say, weed is an addictive substance. It can eventually take control of your brain, leaving you wanting for more and more. Weed may provide you with a comfortable sleep for a while, but as soon as you stop consuming it, you’ll experience withdrawal side effects.
Insomnia happens to be the most prominent withdrawal side effect of weed. It can turn your entire routine upside down, causing more damage than one can anticipate.
Inactive Immune System
Although it isn’t directly linked to the brain, it’s significant enough to mention. Weed can negatively contribute to your immune system by suppressing it, something that can leave you susceptible to catching infectious diseases.
Several studies have reported negative side effects of weed on the immune system. It is said that THC, which happens to be an active compound of weed, is mostly responsible for the destruction.
However, it is also said that people with an overactive immune system may benefit from using weed as suppressing the immune system is what they need in order to recover from the issue.
Increased Risk of Heart Attack
Last but not least, another severe issue that you may encounter from using weed is a heart attack. Yes, you’ve heard that right! Weed puts you at a higher risk of having a heart attack than anything else.
Tetrahydrocannabinol in the weed goes into your bloodstream from the lungs and moves into your entire body. It is something that increases your cardiac rate up to 50 beats per minute for three or more hours, placing extra demand for oxygen on the heart.
It can be deadly for someone who already suffers from cardiovascular disease while increasing the risk of heart attack for others.
Besides the brain and other effects of weeds mentioned above, it also affects your lungs. As I briefly said earlier, THC goes into the lungs at first. Much like tobacco smoke, weed smoke also has numerous chemicals like hydrogen cyanide and ammonia that can be extremely toxic for the lungs.
The Takeaway
Everything that has pros has its cons as well. Although they say you should always look at the brighter side of the picture, ignoring the obvious long-term side effects isn’t wise either.
Therefore, I suggest consulting a health expert before taking weed. Even if you’re taking it for a health reason, it’s a wise approach to get a professional opinion. Isn’t it better to be safe than sorry? Go figure