While we could probably write a dissertation on the subject, we’ll try to keep this article brief in covering the many wanted and unwanted effects of cannabis use.
When it comes down to it, cannabis has been used both medically and recreationally for thousands of years.
In those many thousands of years, there has been no shortage of observed effects, both ill and pleasant on users and their environments.
In this article, we’ll dive into both areas to give a broad sense of how cannabis use is perceived through these different lenses of society.
However people choose to ingest or apply cannabis as part of their wellness regimen, there are both physical and psychoactive effects they will experience.
Some of these effects are obvious and easily observed, some are not.
As part of that experience, researchers have classified several categories of influence the substance has on the body and mind. These categories range from mild to intense and are generally recognized as:
Buzzed – when the user feels lightheadedness that may include spells of dizziness or tingling sensations.
High – when the user experiences a certain level of euphoria, paired with giggling, laughter, or being more talkative than they normally would.
Stoned – when the user feels extreme relaxation, general happiness, and a desire to remain stationary due to considerable “body high”, commonly known as couch lock.
Coming down – when the effects of cannabis have waned and begin to leave the user. This state is often couple with a groggy feeling where some of the earlier mentioned effects may resonate in a diminished sense.
These effects can be considered to start slow and increase sharply in a short period. They will taper slowly, resulting in the eventual comedown.
When people use cannabis recreationally, they are doing so to get the euphoric feelings THC, CBD, and other cannabinoids deliver.
This includes periods of extreme relaxation, elevated mood, decreased anxiety, and fewer inhibitions. Often, cannabis use enhances the sense of touch, taste, feeling, hearing, and sight. Colors become more vibrant, music and sounds become more pronounced.
In the ’60s cannabis use was synonymous with the free love movement and pleasurable activities like sex were often paired with cannabis use. Of course, that combination preceded the 60’s by thousands of years and persists today.
Smoking and eating cannabis are generally accepted as either a solitary or group activity. The plant lends itself to be of great use in both cases.
While cannabis use can produce a lot of great feelings and experiences, sometimes the experience is not entirely positive.
Social pressures can encourage someone uninterested to participate in cannabis use. This is a shame and should not be the case in any activity, drug-related or otherwise.
Such experiences can induce feelings of anxiety or guilt, which can be amplified by the drug’s effects.
In regions where cannabis remains illegal, fear of authorities, prosecution and imprisonment can weigh heavily on a recreational user.
Depression, mood swings, panic attacks, and even hallucinations can result in some cases of cannabis use.
It has been documented that those with a family history of schizophrenia can trigger episodes of psychosis in themselves through the use of cannabis.
Physical Effects Of Cannabis Use
Using cannabis can produce different physiological effects in different people.
Some of these effects are minor inconveniences, some of them can produce unwanted psychological effects on the user.
An example of the former may include dry mouth.
An example of the latter might include red, irritated eyes. This could potentially impart feelings of fear of being “caught” using cannabis, thus raising the user’s level of anxiety.
Other physiological effects of cannabis use include:
While cannabis use, in general, is widely regarded as benign, there are some health risks one assumes when using certain methods of ingestion.
For example, cannabis smokers are inherently putting their lung health at risk. Regardless of whether they consider cannabis healthier than tobacco, infiltrating the sensitive tissues of the lungs with smoke, tar, and other particulate is just plain unhealthy.
Along those same lines, prolonged smoking can lead to cardiac issues and a weakened immune system.
It is also strongly advised against using cannabis in any form if you are pregnant or nursing. The psychoactive chemicals in cannabis are carried through the mother’s bloodstream to the fetus in the case of pregnancy and in breast milk in the case of nursing.
Psychological Effects Of Cannabis Use
While we touched on the dangers of cannabis use in those with a family history of schizophrenia earlier in the article, there is still not enough research into the correlation between cannabis use and other psychological conditions. In short, there is a risk, but not enough has been studied to give a definite assessment as to the level of psychological risks in cannabis use.
Dependence on cannabis use is also widely discussed in law enforcement communities and research communities. Though the two don’t necessarily share the same sentiment or perspective on the topic of addiction. One can think of cannabis dependence as an excessive or harmful level of use. Users who feel they cannot participate in everyday activities without cannabis use would fall into this category. The potential for dependency is low when compared to other narcotics, alcohol, or prescription medications. However, it is there nonetheless.
The idea of cannabis withdrawal is another issue long time users will contend with when the cessation of cannabis use is sudden. While such symptoms might only manifest in a small group of users who have developed a form of a physical or psychological dependence on cannabis, the effects can be quite jarring.
Psychological effects of cannabis withdrawal include:
Physical symptoms of cannabis withdrawal may include:
While there are both positives and negatives to cannabis use, the majority of users seem to agree that the good outweighs the bad.
Whether you use cannabis medicinally, recreationally, or don’t use cannabis at all, this information should serve as an educational tool to inform and provide perspective on the short term and long terms effects of cannabis use.
