Opponents of marijuana smoking will often talk about it as if taking only a few hits of cannabis will ruin someone’s life. It begs the question:
Is it really harmful to smoke marijuana?
Scientists and dispensaries are beginning to study the effects of marijuana on human beings. They are beginning to understand that many positive health effects can be gained from the marijuana plant. Many people have begun to pay attention to what cannabis can do for their health.
Here are a few of the possible health effects that research is looking into when it comes to marijuana research.
1. Boost Your Brain Functionality
Research published in the journal “Consciousness and Cognition” suggests that creativity may increase in those who use marijuana. The study looked at a group of 150 subjects who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and divergent thinking. Participants smoked marijuana on one day and abstained on another day. Comparing the language tests they took on both days showed they were more eloquent on the day they smoked marijuana or CBD than on the day they were sober.
2. Control Your Weight
Even though smoking marijuana is associated with “getting the munchies,” i.e. having an increased appetite, studies suggest that marijuana smokers may actually be thinner on average than their non-smoking counterparts.
“Obesity,” a medical journal, published a study which reported that frequent marijuana smokers are thinner than non-smokers. The study looked at a group of 700 adults aged 18 to 74. On average, the marijuana smokers had lower body mass indexes than the non-smokers. Having an appropriate body mass index is associated with being at low risk for developing diabetes.
3. Enhance Your Lung Capacity
This effect may seem counterintuitive since cigarette smokers have high rates of lung problems, including lung cancer and emphysema. Smoking marijuana does not have the same negative effects on lung tissue that cigarette smoking has, though. A study published in the “Journal of the American Medical Association” suggested that the deep inhales taken while smoking cannabis may actually help increase the lung capacity of marijuana smokers.
4. Experience Fewer Side Effects Than Those Who Drink Alcohol
According to a study published in the journal “Scientific Reports,” alcohol is 114 times more dangerous to the human body than THC is. The purpose of the study was to compare the effects of several drugs, including alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, crystal meth, ecstacy, heroin, and tobacco. Cannabis was found to have fewer side effects than alcohol.
5. Get Help for Heroin Addiction
A Columbia University study looked at a group of individuals who were in treatment for heroin addiction. Of these study participants, those who smoked marijuana reported less anxiety, got a better quality of sleep, and had a greater chance of completing the treatment course than those who did not smoke marijuana. Other researchers have found that a drug containing the active ingredient in marijuana, THC, can reduce the symptoms of withdrawal from other drugs.
6. Kill Cancer Cells in the Lab
A study reported by the U.S. government reported that ingredients in marijuana can kill cancer cells in the laboratory. This experiment was done on animal cells, and there is no direct correlation between lab tests on animal cancer cells and cells in living human beings. Still, the experiment gave scientists enough evidence to suggest that the cancer cell-fighting effects of marijuana should be studied further.
