Does weed kill brain cells?
Marijuana affects the brain. But marijuana DOES NOT kill brain cells, although there is more evidence that marijuana cause brain damage. We offer a brief review of research on marijuana and the brain below.
Marijuana and the brain
Marijuana affects your brain. The main active ingredient in marijuana is called THC. THC affects the nerve cells in different parts of the brain. As THC binds to nerve receptors in the brain (Ex. in the nucleus accumbens, the cerebellum or the basal ganglia) the brain responds by altering functions in the body or mind. This is why you can feel high on weed, or experience heightened sensory perception, or become clumsy. Each of these effects begin as chemical reactions in the brain.
Hippocampus – THC alters how information is processed in the hippocampus and can result in lost memory, difficulty with attention and focus. Memory loss and weed are at the center of current research on the brain.
Cerebellum and basal ganglia – THC binds to cannabinoid receptors in these parts of the brain and impairs balance, posture, coordination, and reaction time.
Nucleus accumbens – THC activates the brain’s reward system by stimulating brain cells to release the chemical dopamine. This is why you feel high when you smoke weed.
Marijuana and long term changes in the brain
Experts have not linked chronic cannabis to permanent structural changes in the brain. But marijuana’s effects on the brain can build up over time. In addition to possible decreases in mental flexibility and focus over time, potheads are at higher risk of changing serotonin and norepinephrine levels in the brain (thereby affecting depression and anxiety), developing schizophrenia and/or mood disorders. Although no official evidence exists linking brain deterioration to chronic marijuana use, critical life skills have been self-reported by potheads to worsen over time. Marijuana can negatively affect:
- career achievement
- cognitive abilities
- mental health
- physical health
- social life
Not to mention memory loss…
Perhaps when you’re asking, “Does weed kill brain cells?”, you really want to know if weed makes you stupid, or if memory loss is permanent when you smoke. The short answer is that most THC-related effects on the brain wear off after acute exposure, or are restored when you abstain from marijuana for 4-8 weeks. However, experts do not yet know of the long term effects and permanent changes marijuana can cause on the brain, especially to memory processing
As people age, they lose neurons in the hippocampus, which decreases their ability to learn new information. This is part of the normal aging process. But when you smoke weed, you may actually speed up the loss of these neurons, resulting in loss of memory. In fact, chronic THC exposure in animals has been shown to quicken related loss of hippocampus neurons. Rats exposed to THC every day for 8 months (approximately 30 % of their lifespan) showed a level of nerve cell loss that equaled that of unexposed animals twice their age.
In conclusion, although chronic marijuana use does not kill brain cells directly, smoking daily can trigger early loss of memory and alter your brain in ways that we do not yet know.
Marijuana problems?
Eating weed to get high is a sign that you can get addicted to marijuana. But in addition to psychological symptoms of addiction, physical symptoms may also be present. Are you noticing a loss of memory or brain function as a result of smoking chronic weed? Are you worried that you cannot stop smoking weed because you may get depressed? Or do you think you should cut back on your weed intake? These are all signs that you may be addicted to marijuana. You CAN get help. Please leave your questions here, and we’ll direct you to information or services for weed addiction. We respond to all earnest queries personally!
9:32 pm
September 14th, 2011
I easily forget wot am doing and hardly pay attention to what am doing. But i have stop taking marijuana. I simply want a method that can make me go back to my reading habit and also assimilating what i have read…
Thanks..
10:05 pm
January 5th, 2012
the fact that u cant see the govarment lies about all this shows you are ignorint. weed is a plant and is totally harmless
12:54 am
January 6th, 2012
I don’t understand how “we” don’t know the long term effects of marijuana on the brain since it’s been around for so long. Haven’t “we” been studying it for many many years? Are “we” saying that it hasn’t been studied for at least 50+ years? “We” put out negative propaganda about it in the early-mid 20th century, yet nothing is known thus far? Really?
1:27 pm
February 9th, 2012
That part about edible marijuana did not make sense at first, but after rereading it, I realized the author was implying they ate marijuana instead of food, but this is totally inaccurate. Some nights, my friend takes a small hit, and then it helps him load up on carbs when he has a sport the next day. Edible marijuana is just a safer way to get high, because there is no smoke, which definitely kills brain cells, because smoke suffocates.
4:52 pm
February 19th, 2012
Biased with a capital B.
4:54 pm
February 26th, 2012
My son has been using for years , now he trys to stop and he cant. It seems to me that it is an addiction just like any other drug or alcohol.
11:38 am
February 28th, 2012
Hi Vee. Yes, you are right. Marijuana addiction is very real. The body does not become physically dependent on marijuana the same way that it does on opiates or cocaine, but we do experience the phenomenon of tolerance (needing more weed for same effect) and withdrawal when we stop smoking.
Is your son really ready to stop smoking pot? How do you know?
7:56 am
March 3rd, 2012
No weed is not that bad for you but that doesnt mean it has no negative effects, they just are not that bad. Have you any idea of some of thhe side effects of various perscription drugs? Some of that should not be legal! Tobacco and drinking are both worse. Tobacco can give you cancers an hurt your lungs and alcohol kills brain cells an get you hungover. I happen to do both but am cuttin back on the smokin atleast! And what happens when you get high? Happy hungry sleepy. And if you want to use the argument that its addictive thats obvious. Pretty much anything can become addictive. Check it out. Food, smoking, drinking, masturbating, eating, gambling, videgames, sex, perscription drugs you name it! All depends on the person too. Some people have more addictive personalities as well. Also i find that this article is biased. It tries to make it seem like it is sincerly true but nope. I was smoking everyday quite a bit and it didnt affect my grades or anything, other than if i mabey smoked and burnt out(got tired and fell asleep) before i did homework or whatnot. I dont like going to school high because i dont want to have to try be high and concentrate and learn at the same time or be tired after and now i havent smoked in bout a month an a half and thats fine. When my money needs to be elsewhere or i dont have time or access or i jus dont feel like it i dont smoke. But i am buyin a bong on my way back from my trip! Freeze bong!!! But i am looking forward to it! Been a bit. And please please PLEEEEEEEEEEASE just do a bit of research and try to sift throught the bias ( bad AND good mind you) before you go about with a preconcieved notion of and about marijuanna. ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE NEVER TRIED IT BEFORE OR MORE THAN ONCE. Il stop ramblin now. Thanks!
7:02 pm
March 3rd, 2012
This article is written by a former pothead and is based on scientific research from the National Institutes of Health. The article was written in an honest attempt to learn more about marijuana and the brain. Can those of you who claim bias please check the reference sources and then comment on those?
9:13 am
March 14th, 2012
u can always get away from everyone except YOUR SELF bud gives the ability to take a mini vacation and think different and see things in different perspective MARIJUANA IS THE BEST
6:39 pm
April 16th, 2012
i will always smoke
4:08 am
April 26th, 2012
potheads ! Use yer speltcheque . . . lol. Biased ? You just dont want to believe it is all. Sure does affect your memory ! Damn straight. . .
Everything can become an addiction it’s true. There is a time and place for everything and everything in moderation, if you need it to function – news flash- you are addiction whether its mentally of physically. And gateway drug ? also true. Perhaps not for everyone, but it happens. You are self medicating, be it anxiety, depression, whatever. . . 1000 excuses, not 1 good reason.
6:21 pm
April 26th, 2012
I have smoked weed just about everyday for about 3 yrs now. After reading ALL of this article, i can honestly admit that it seems pretty accurate. I am far from a dummy, i am educated and intellectual, but i have noticed a VERY SIGNIFICANT change in my memory. I dont feel stupid, im not dumber, but i cannot remember well at all. I forget things a lot, i always have to double-back due to forgetting possesions, (wallet, keys, phone) Sometimes i could be in mid-conversation and literally forget what im talking about. My short term memory sucks and my focus has been altered as well. I know there’s a lot of bullshit rumors about marijuana, and i dont know why its illegal if tobacco and alcohol arent, but i cannot deny the effect that it has on me. I wouldnt label myself an addict because i have no problem mentally with letting go. I just cant eat if i dont smoke. No weed = No Appetite. So in that sense my hormones were affected, but i have never experienced any kind of depression or anxiety. The issues with my memory never occurred before i started smoking. Im only 24 yrs old.
Im gonna take a couple month break now that i have read this as an attempt to restore my functioning, but when i start using marijauna again i will NOT be smoking it. Only Vaporizing. Keeping it at a minimum. Thats when its harmless.
8:06 pm
May 2nd, 2012
If you smoke anything it’s bad for you. Vaporizing thc on the other hand is relatively harmless and there are as many positive studies showing the benefits of thc as there are negative scare tactic opinions such as this article. Vape thc in moderation, possibly even excess, and you’ll be fine.