Cannabis' Effects on the Brain

JCat

Well-Known Member
Accessory Maker
@CANtalk ... I'd have to say that article is full of shit (just my 2 cents) ... they talk about long term lung and respiratory issues in this article, and yet multiple insurance companies in Canada have recently changed there policies such that cannabis smokers are no longer considered smokers (like tobacco). The studies have time and again shown that cannabis smoking is not equal to tobacco smoking and the results just aren't the same ... no real increased risk of anything ....

One could argue that for every study there is a counter-study saying the opposite, however, when major insurance companies start changing their policies in favour of the person being insured (to the tune of reducing their rates by half!), one has to assume that obviously cannabis smoking (not even talking about reduced risk with vaporization), just doesn't have much risk.
 

CANtalk

Well-Known Member
Sorry to hear that @C No Ego, I hate those things. It's ad central, though for me it's links (passive) and not popups (there is a video pop up). Here's the Google cache user text content. The article is a fair amount of scrolling down.
http://webcache.googleusercontent.c...n-and-body-432175&hl=en&gl=ca&strip=1&vwsrc=0


@JCat, no problem :). You and I are taking very different things away from that article. The lung and respiratory issues reference smoking cannabis... and no one (not me anyway) has drawn or made any direct comparisons, links or associations of lung and respiratory issues with smoking to vaping, in that article or here. OTOH, the discussion of and reported endocannabinoid neurotransmitter effects will apply to both smoking and vaping cannabis. That information is what I was looking to share in this "cannabis' effects on the brain" thread... and what I find interesting. YMMV. :peace::leaf:

Cheers!
 
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JCat

Well-Known Member
Accessory Maker
Yes, @CANtalk ... I did read the other parts, and I was interested too, until it said that "long term use can damage the bronchial passages and lungs as well" ... this is where it lost me, as if this was indeed at all factual don't you think the insurance companies would penalize users for their cannabis usage in terms of insurance rates? And then to follow that through, if the article has some facts that seem to be completely wrong or based in past hypotheses that seem to have been proven incorrect, then it begs to question the article's information on a whole no?
 
JCat,

CANtalk

Well-Known Member
I dunno :shrug:? For me it's commonly known that smoking/combustion of cannabis is unhealthy to lungs :shrug:. https://www.lung.org/stop-smoking/smoking-facts/marijuana-and-lung-health.html, https://www.webmd.com/lung-cancer/marijuana-lung-cancer-risk#1. Science shows inhalation of combusted organic matter generates nasties. FWIW, I also have an extensive background in physiology, toxicology and chemistry which subconsciously affects how I approach and view many things.

Sorry, hit the vape here :tup:. To ramble on a bit, I wouldn't exactly call vaping healthy either. Though it's notably healthier than smoking. I'm not familiar with the insurance industries or what they're doing. However, I can envision such a change may reasonably and simply be explained by the group actuarial risks; in population assessments people tend to smoke a lot less cannabis than people who smoke tobacco and tobacco cigarettes, hence less dose and risk. Simply put, the negative health outcomes are less with cannabis vs tobacco. People can easily get to a pack of tobacco cigarettes a day and many do, not so much with cannabis. That's a lot of combustion difference and may simply be why insurance now treats them differently. Because they are different risks... and now it's being identified as such in the actuarials. I'm sure there's been a lot of refinement to insurance actuarials over the years; they're always updating their products and looking for the best profitability model and performance.

We can agree to disagree
angel3.gif
, no hard feelings here at all :peace: :leaf:. I'm not here to change people's minds, just riff with and share info; I enjoy having a conversation :). I'll move on though and let the thread get back to the main topic.

Cheers
 
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CANtalk,
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That article was reefer-madness one-sided. Not one study actually linked/sited to review. Only negative studies but a balanced analysis would acknowledge that other studies dont corroborate all that. If you cherry pick studies funded to only prove negative outcomes and ignore all the evidence of benefit its a worthless weaponization of data. It's dishonest.
 

biohacker

Well-Known Member
Is anyone else that has been a heavy long term user worried about the negative effects on the Dopaminergic System? Long term users have lower dopamine levels than non-users, and is said to be one the biggest reasons for withdrawals - because endogenous dopamine production has been blunted due to all the exogenous flooding the system.

I personally am scared AF because I know i've been affected by this and frequently have to use cannabis just to avoid withdrawal symptoms. For this reason i'm considering completely changing my relationship with cannabis to only extremely moderate minimal usage.
 

CANtalk

Well-Known Member
I don't see those issues @archangelz001 near as much as you :shrug:. My perspective from reading the article is that it's simply a cautionary note and discussion of the negative effects of high cannabis use in smoking. The article didn't include a discussion of lower dose lower use cannabis, those effects or benefits... and so be it. There's nothing wrong with focusing on one topic as long that's reasonably acknowledged.

The article quickly acknowledges moderation, excess and self-discipline in cannabis use before going on to generally discuss the negative effects associated in heavy use and daily use (by smoking) in the long term. The benefits of moderation are noted more than once as well. The article does use some unnecessarily strong words (that seem to be a trigger here) and doesn't fully characterize some of its statements as well as it could/should. Yes, it could more fully acknowledge the range and characterization of dose-response dependent effects. But I wouldn't be throwing out the baby with the bath water; doing that would be cherrypicking information. YMMV.



@biohacker, I'm concerned about the potential negative effects of long term heavy use of any drug on the body. I try to manage everything I can in life in moderation because I've observed and experienced negative effects from not managing some things as well as others. Most all substances can be problematic in high amounts or high use, such as cannabis, alcohol, caffeine (e.g., coffee), ibuprofen, acetaminophen, food, etc. In toxicology a famous phrase is that the dose makes the poison (most everything is toxic in a high enough dose; drinking too much water can kill).

I myself have noticed some negative cannabis effects from use and am now seeking a better cannabis life balance with lower doses. We'll see where it takes me and how it goes. So far I've been very impressed with microdosing amounts and experiences. This forum has been a great resource for information for sure. I wouldn't be scared AF but I'm not a high amount nor daily user. Different people react to cannabis differently as well. I hope everyone can find a happy cannabis balance. Whether that is extremely moderate minimal usage, or more or less, I leave up to everyone's experience and personal choice. And I wish everyone the best.
 
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vapirtoo

Well-Known Member
I'm only comfortable using weed when I have the time and space to do so. I am a daily user, but I vape when I bike ride, watch videos or go hiking. Right now I'm holding off because I have a semi professional meeting where vaping would be frowned upon.
As soon as the meeting is over, I will be vaping in my man cave!
I must say that I am always concerned with the health consequences of our hobby.
 

muunch

hotboxing the cockpit
Is anyone else that has been a heavy long term user worried about the negative effects on the Dopaminergic System? Long term users have lower dopamine levels than non-users, and is said to be one the biggest reasons for withdrawals - because endogenous dopamine production has been blunted due to all the exogenous flooding the system.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006322311012601

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1369-1600.2010.00218.x


https://www.nature.com/articles/mp201621

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006322313005027



honestly it really only seems to matter in people considered "cannabis abusers" or "cannabis dependant"

I have definitely dealt with lack of appetite, and inability to sleep well if I am taking a break or something, but it always normalizes fairly quickly. I don't think I would have ever, in my entire cannbis-using career, been considered to be "abusing" it, or "dependant" on it.


I am definitely interested in reading more, but I'm not sure that I am personally worried about it.
 

biohacker

Well-Known Member
honestly it really only seems to matter in people considered "cannabis abusers" or "cannabis dependant"

Really only? This is me! As well any MANY others on this forum and in the real world.

I am definitely interested in reading more, but I'm not sure that I am personally worried about it.

Based on your usage patterns, Like CANtalk, I wouldn't be either.
 

CANtalk

Well-Known Member
I know what you mean @biohacker. I'm not a fan of using general non-specific phrases, such "cannabis abusers" and "cannabis dependent", to characterize exposures, risk, use, etc. (even using "high use" and "low use"). Instead, I recommend everyone focus on their own personal experiences and effects to determine how to best manage one's own reasonable cannabis use. That will by necessity include learning about, understanding and recognizing the health effects of cannabis use (drawbacks and benefits). As mentioned before, different people react to cannabis differently too, so it's best to learn how cannabis interacts with oneself.
 
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Tranquility

Well-Known Member
One big question regarding the safety of cannabis in the long term has to do with teen use and schizophrenia. There is an undeniable statistical relationship between the two. The question is, why? Is it that the cannabis use causes the schizophrenia or is it that those who are susceptible to schizophrenia tend to self-medicate with cannabis?

It might be the cannabis.

From an extremely small study at https://cannabislifenetwork.com/bra...hc-similar-to-those-with-schizophrenia-study/
A new study by Ontario researchers suggests that brain activity in rats exposed a single time to THC — the vapourized psychoactive component of marijuana — is similar to those with schizophrenia and cannabis-induced psychosis.

Lead author Jibran Khokhar, an assistant professor of neuroscience at the University of Guelph, said the rats’ “dampened” brain activity lasted at least one week after the exposure.

“It was really surprising,” he said.

Khokhar and his team are trying to tease out the long-known relationship between marijuana use and schizophrenia.

A genetic predisposition to schizophrenia combined with exposures to cannabis can increase the risk for that person to have a psychotic episode or to then have a diagnosis of schizophrenia, Khokhar explained.

But the causal relationship between the two is not known.

“The goal and focus of the lab is to try to crack this chicken or egg question of substance use and schizophrenia,” Khokhar said....​
 

chris 71

Well-Known Member
The study above kinda lost my interest when they started talking about the vaping related deaths do to THC oil .

Arent we pretty sure it has nothing to do with thc itself ??

Also could the rats brain activity being dampend have anything to do with the surgically implanted electrodes in there brains lol or the anesthesia for the procedure to put the electrodes in there teeny tiny brains lol

And i have been known to willing take a drug to dampen my brain activity lol could be a good thing sometimes
 

C No Ego

Well-Known Member
The study above kinda lost my interest when they started talking about the vaping related deaths do to THC oil .

Arent we pretty sure it has nothing to do with thc itself ??

Also could the rats brain activity being dampend have anything to do with the surgically implanted electrodes in there brains lol or the anesthesia for the procedure to put the electrodes in there teeny tiny brains lol

And i have been known to willing take a drug to dampen my brain activity lol could be a good thing sometimes
Heart Surgeon Dr David Allen has seen the results up to one month as well after use... he claims the latent effects are protecting the heart for up to one month after initial use... this all depends on the test stipulations going into the test as to how we perceive the outcomes
 

Tranquility

Well-Known Member
The study above kinda lost my interest when they started talking about the vaping related deaths do to THC oil .
That was from the article (from a pro-cannabis website) and not from the study.

Also could the rats brain activity being dampend have anything to do with the surgically implanted electrodes in there brains lol or the anesthesia for the procedure to put the electrodes in there teeny tiny brains lol
No, that could not be the cause. I have not read the study. But, if it is a "study" and not a bunch of frat boys doing a foolie, there will be control subjects (that everything but the key thing is the same) and be double blind. Even if not, there is a timing issue. The mice recovered from the surgery before the scanning. They had non-changed scans BEFORE the dosing but after implantation.

And i have been known to willing take a drug to dampen my brain activity lol could be a good thing sometimes
The fact we imbibe and some enjoy using cannabis is not an argument against the fact it could be problematic to some (including ourselves). I was once dosed with an amphetamine to slow down my hyperactive brain--and, it worked. That does not mean one should take amphetamines to calm down.
 

biohacker

Well-Known Member
Thanks for that @CANtalk ... I implemented CBD in isolate form as well as FSE and have found my current break to be an absolute calk walk compared to the past. Could be other factors as well, since i've tried CBD in so many forms in the past, and never had the success that i've presently had. Of course, my life and environment is completely different now, so that could be a massive part of it. I'm already feeling my brain bouncing back! And appreciating things sober again. That was the biggest mofo for me.... getting medicated made me feel good, but ONLY when I was medicated. Once I was "sober" I felt worse than "baseline".
 
biohacker,
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Tranquility

Well-Known Member
Haven't done a search yet, but, anyone know how cannabis affects sleeping brain waves? The answer could help, or hurt, learning of users.
(The study has nothing to do with cannabis. It just talks of the effects of brain waves on learning. I'm just supposing that cannabis will change brain wave patterns when sleeping and wonder how that compares to this result.)
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/10/191003114039.htm
Summary:
Distinct patterns of electrical activity in the sleeping brain may influence whether we remember or forget what we learned the previous day, according to a new study. The scientists were able to influence how well rats learned a new skill by tweaking these brainwaves while animals slept, suggesting potential future applications in boosting human memory or forgetting traumatic experiences, the researchers say.​
 

C No Ego

Well-Known Member
Haven't done a search yet, but, anyone know how cannabis affects sleeping brain waves? The answer could help, or hurt, learning of users.
(The study has nothing to do with cannabis. It just talks of the effects of brain waves on learning. I'm just supposing that cannabis will change brain wave patterns when sleeping and wonder how that compares to this result.)
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/10/191003114039.htm
Summary:
Distinct patterns of electrical activity in the sleeping brain may influence whether we remember or forget what we learned the previous day, according to a new study. The scientists were able to influence how well rats learned a new skill by tweaking these brainwaves while animals slept, suggesting potential future applications in boosting human memory or forgetting traumatic experiences, the researchers say.​
sleeping with electronics by your head effects REM more than cannabis ever could...
a tip for great sleep - head faces North and no electronics vibing brain matter all night

Shit! meant to edit post not quote myself... mod note
 

biohacker

Well-Known Member
sleeping with electronics by your head effects REM more than cannabis ever could...
a tip for great sleep - head faces North and no electronics vibing brain matter all night

While I agree that EMFs are absolutely horrible for sleep and health (I personally cut the power in my bedroom) due to wifi routers as well as a/c current pretty much at the level of our head only inches away, I disagree that it changes sleep architecture as much as THC (reducing/shortening REM cycles). I've been experimenting for YEARS haha.

Also, head facing north is a generalization, and only applies in the southern hemisphere. In the northern hemisphere, north is the LAST place you want your head to point.

Massive respect to Sadhguru! lol

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sadghuru+head+north
 
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