On the impact of marijuana on human health, many studies have has been published about both the positive effects of the drug and the negative consequences of its use.
However, the results of these studies do not always give us a complete picture of how regular use of marijuana affects people in the long term.
Therefore, we decided to put together the results of recent scientific work in this area and explain how weed affects the functionality of specific organs and what the health risks are for those who smoke it regularly.
Smoking weed both benefits and harms the lungs
Research data on the effects of cannabis smoking on the respiratory system may puzzle you with its inconsistency.
While some studies suggest that THC (tetrahydrocannabinol, the active substance of a drug) has anti-inflammatory properties, and deep puffs can increase the volume of your lungs, other scientific studies emphasize that smoking innovative weed pen has similar adverse effects on the respiratory system as tobacco smoke.
Scientists from Canada found out that there is 20 times more ammonia in the smoke of marijuana than in tobacco smoke.
A study in 2012 found a link between regular and long-term weed smoking and the development of a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
The catch is that although THC has the properties that inhibit the growth of tumors, the smoke that we breathe when we smoke marijuana has an opposite effect and is carcinogenic.
It is possible that alternative methods of consumption help to neutralize the negative consequences for the organism, but more studies on this topic are needed to confirm this hypothesis.
How smoking weed affects the heart
Smoking weed quickens the heartbeat, which for some people can be a cause of discomfort or even frightening experience. And yet, some athletes use cannabis before training, thus increasing their effectiveness.
The fact is that cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive component of cannabis, prevents the development of myositis or inflammatory damage to skeletal muscles. This condition is expressed in muscle pain and often occurs in athletes who regularly experience intense physical exertion.
Cannabidiol allows you to restore muscles after training quickly, as well as after injuries, according to the 1998 Olympic gold medalist in the Ross Rebagliati snowboarding competition.
Another athlete, 39-year-old Seibo Shen also talks about the benefits of marijuana and weed vape pen in sports. He smoked weed via a vaporizer before his jiu-jitsu matches because cannabis allowed him to achieve the desired mental state for the fight.
“When you can get your brain out of the way and let the body do its job based on muscle memory and repetition of learned movements, the results exceed all expectations,” Shen shares his experience.
But there are risks associated with heart palpitations and shortness of breath due to smoking. Therefore, before the marathon, you definitely should not score a joint if you do not want to fall dead from a heart attack during the race.
How smoking weed affects the brain
Cannabis has an anti-inflammatory effect on brain cells, making it a valuable substance in the fight against Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases.
A recent study by scientists from the Salk Institute for Biological Research has shown that THC and other compounds contained in a marijuana plant can help eliminate excess toxic protein beta-amyloid, which leads to inflammation that destroys nerve cells in the brain.
The result of this work was the discovery that cannabinoids have the same effects as endocannabinoids – compounds that our bodies make on their own to transmit signals in the brain.
Recent studies have found that endocannabinoids, as well as cannabinoids, also protect nerve cells from the formation of an excess of beta-amyloid.
These findings of scientists can be a breakthrough in the development of a drug for Alzheimer's disease, which could stop or at least slow its progress, and not just alleviate the symptoms, as current medications do.
How smoking weed affects sexuality
Having smoked weed with the help of weed pens, you will increase your libido and can improve the quality of orgasm due to more relaxed and emotionally-involved contact with a partner, according to sex therapist Ian Kerner.
The drug allows the consumer not only to feel more comfortable in his body but also stimulates the release of oxytocin, a hormone responsible for creating a feeling of affection, which strengthens the connection with the partner.
How smoking weed affects sleep
Weed will help you fall asleep if you smoke the Indica strain, and not the Sativa strain. This is important because the first type of marijuana is relaxing, and the second is stimulating.
But cannabis affects not only how quickly you fall asleep, but also the quality of your sleep. And regarding the benefits or harms of this influence, the opinions of scientists differ.
Vape pen for weed increases the duration of the third stage of slow delta sleep, during which our body completely relaxes, and the body rests, but at the same time shortens the fourth stage of the deepest delta sleep, when we have dreams, and the brain is renewed.
Constant violation of the natural optimal sleep architecture, in which the third stage lasts 5-8% of the total sleep time, and the fourth – 10-15%, as a result, may even lead to insomnia.
So, having a nightclub before going to bed will help you rest physically better, but it will not allow you to restore your mental strength and, perhaps, even deprive you of dreams.
How smoking weed affects mental health
The human endocannabinoid system is responsible for regulating stress levels and anxiety. And since cannabinoids have similar effects with endocannabinoids, marijuana also has relaxing properties.
THC, as the most psychoactive component of the plant, is similar in structure and action to the chemical substance anandamide contained in the human brain, which reduces the level of anxiety.
But also in the matter of the influence of best vape pen for weed on the mental health of women is not all clear.
Previous studies have indicated that weed can cause short-term paranoia, and can also cause psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia.
Still, more recent work by scientists suggests that cannabis still does not increase the risk of developing mental disorders of the anxiety spectrum, nor affective disorders such as depression.
However, the constant smoking of cannabis can increase your chances of developing alcohol, drug and nicotine addiction, according to another study in 2016.
