So where did they get the idea from? For more than four decades addiction scientists have embraced the unifying theory – that nearly all addictive substances and activities flood the limbic brain with dopamine.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) explains it:

THC, acting through cannabinoid receptors, also activates the brain’s reward system, which includes regions that govern the response to healthy pleasurable behaviors like sex and eating. Like most other drugs of abuse, THC stimulates neurons in the reward system to release the signaling chemical dopamine at levels higher than typically observed in response to natural stimuli. This flood of dopamine contributes to the pleasurable “high” that recreational marijuana users seek.

How Pot Works

Each bud and leaf of the marijuana plant is composed of hundreds of chemicals but scientists have mainly focused their time and research on two main compounds: tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).

These are explained in another article or two. Let’s get to the main topic.

The Short Term Efects
THC is absorbed into your body extremely fast. Withing second, it gets to the brain and goes crazy with the neurons, the brain’s cells. In order to understand the process, we’ll look at neurons before we move on. Neurons are cells that don’t actually touch each other. The gap between brain cells is called a synapse, and the brain uses chemicals called neurotransmitters to pass messages across these gaps. You’ve probably heard of a few neurotransmitters, like seratonin, epinephrine, and dopamine. While most neurotransmitters are made in the glands, some man-made drugs (legal and illegal) can mimic the same effects as natural neurotransmitters. A neurotransmitters binds to a neuron, which signals the body to do something. When a neurotransmitters fits into the correct receptor, it chemically turns that neuron on or off.

This is where THC comes in. The active chemical in marijuana anandamide. It is often referred to as the “bliss molecule” due to its role in boosting memory and learning,dulling pain, and stimulating the appetites. Anandamide normally teams up with dopamine, and together thee neurotransmitters turn on and turn off different chemical pathways as needed.

THC may mimic anandamice but they don’t produce the exact same effects. After someone takes a hit or a puff, THC binds to cannabinoid CB1 and CB2 receptors, which are located in several parts of the brain such as the hippocampus, cerebral cortex, cerebellum and basal ganglia. These areas of the brain are responsible for short-term memory, coordination, learning, problem solving and unconscious muscle movement. When THC get to work on the cannabinoid receptors, it gets in the way of natural neurotransmitters that need to bind to those sites to make all of the functions listed above work properly.

When THC prevents anandaminde from doing its job, the balance between anandamide and dopamine is thrown off. The result is that we’re euphoric, sometimes off-balance, we get hungry (munchies), seemingly impervious to pain and unable to retain information.

The Long Term Effects

How long THC affects the brain and stays in the body depends on many factors including the potency of the marijuana, the smoker’s experience with the drug, how it is ingested and if it’s used together with other drugs or alcohol. The immediate effects of THC kick in after a few seconds and last for an hour or two, but the chemicals can stay in your body for quite a while. THC is fat-soluble, so it can stay in body tissues or several weeks, or even months if you are a habitual smoker.

So will these crazy nights or days ruin your brain? A ton of studies have proven that smoking weed won’t destroy your brain cells. Take a drag, loosen up but always check the legal status in your state before you do so.

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Cannabinoids are also separated into subclasses. These are as follows:

• Cannabigerols (CBG).
• Canabichromenes (CBS).
• Cannabidoils (CBD).
• Tetrahydrocannabinols.
• Cannabinol CBN and Cannabinodiol (CBDL).
• Other cannabinoids such as cannabicyclol (CBL),cannabielson(CBE), cannabitriol (CBT) and other miscellaneous types.

What do cannabinoids do?

Like opiates, cannabinoids affect the user by interacting with specific receptors, located within different parts of the central nervous system. There are only two kinds of cannabinoid receptors that have have been found to do and are termed CB1 and CB2. A substance that occurs naturally in the brain and binds to CB1 receptors was discovered in 1992 and termed “anandamide.”

Additinally natural occuring substances that bind CB1 have since been discovered, and these, together with the receptors are termed the “endogenous cannabinoid system.”

The actual effects that the cannabinoids have reflect the areas of the brain thet interact with. These interactions tend to occur in our limbic syste (the part of the brain that affects memory, cognitions and psychomotor performance) and mesolimbic pathway (activity in this region is associated with feelings of reward) and there are also widely distributed in areas of pain perception.

Many researchers are still learning about the endogenous cannabinoid system. Much of the research however, has focused on the many potential medical uses of man-made cannabioids, refereed to as “synthetic analogues.”

The difference between cannabinoids

The major difference between the cannabinoids are determined by the extent to which they are psychologically active. Three classes of cannabinoids; the CBG, CBC and CBD are not known to have such an effects/ THC, CBN, CBDL and some cannabinoids on the other hand are known to be psychologically active to varying degrees.

CBS is considered tp be the most abundant cannabinoid, contributing up to 40% of cannabis resin. Interestingly, CBD may actually have anti-anxiety effects and lessen the psychoactive effects of THC. This means that a plant with a greater percentage of CBD may reduce the intensity of the effects of the THC, which in effect lowers the potency of the plant. This means that a plant containing less CBD might have an increased psychological impact and result in unwanted effects such as anxiety.

When THC is exposed to air, it oxidizes and forms CBN. CBN is a very weak psychoactive and not unlike CBD interacts with THC to reduce its effects.

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Facts about cannabidiol

CBD is a key ingredient in cannabis

Cannabidiol is one of over 80 compounds found in cannabis that belongs to a class of molecules called cannabinoids. Of these compounds, CBD and THC are usually present in the highest concentrations, and are therefore the most recognized and studied.

CBD and THC levels tend to vary among different plants. Marijuana that’s grown for recreational purposes often contains more THC than CBD.

By using selective breeding techniques, cannabis breeders have managed to create varieties with high levels of CBD and next to zero levels of THC. These strains are rare but they have become more popular.

CBD is non-psychoactive

Unlike THC, CBD does not cause users to get high. While this makes CBD a poor choice for recreational users, it gives the chemical a huge advantage as a medicine, since health professionals prefer treatments with minimal side effects.

CBD is a non-psychoactive because it does not act on the same pathways as THC. These pathways, called CB1 receptors, are highly concentrated in the brain and they are responsible for the mind-altering effects of THC.

CBD has a wide range of medical benefits

Although CBD and THC act on different pathways of the body, they seem to have many of the same benefits.

CBD reduces the negative effects of THC.

CBD seems to offer natural protection against the marijuana high. Numerous studies suggest that CBD acts to reduce the intoxicating effects of THC, such as memory impairment and paranoia.
It also appears to counteract the sleep-inducing effects of THC, which may explain why some strains of cannabis are known to increase alertness.

Both CBD and THC have been found to present no risk of lethal overdose. To reduce potential side effects, medical users may be better off using cannabis with higher levels of CBD.

CBD is sill illegal

Even though CBD shows much promise as a medicine, it remains illegal in many parts of the world. Classified as a Schedule I drug in the United States and a Schedule II drug in Canada.

On the other hand, the FDA recently approved a request to trial a pharmaceutical version of CBD in children with rare forms of epilepsy. The drug is made by GW Pharmaceuticals and is called Epidiolex.

According to the company, the drug consist of “more than 98 percent CBD, trace quantities of some other cannabinoids, and zero THC.” GW Pharmaceuticals makes another cannabis-based drug called Sativex, which has been approved in over 24 countries for treating multiple sclerosis.

A patent awarded to the U.S. Health and Human Services in 2003 (US6630507) also covers the use of CBD as a treatment for various neurodegenerative and inflammatory disorders.

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Scientific research on THC began decades ago in Israel, and has since spread to many countries across the globe. Due to its status as an illegal drug, information about this cannabis compound is hard to come by.

Its discovery in 1964

THC was first isolated and synthesized from the cannabis plant by a scientist called Dr. Raphael Mechoulam in Israel.

As a postdoctoral student in the early 60s, Dr. Mechoulam noticed that the active compounds in morphine and cocaine had been isolated, but no one had isolated the active ingredient in marijuana.

He was in such a rush to conduct his research that he actually broke the law by obtaining marijuana from his friends in the police department. Even with all the hardships, the scientist managed to isolate THC is 1964, marking the start of a long career dedicated to cannabis research.

The discovery of THC paved the way for later discovered and earned Dr. Mechoulam numerous honors, including a NIDA Discovery Award in 2011.

THC is part of more than 60 active ingredients in cannabis

Despite THC being the most recognized ingredients in marijuana, it is just one of many compounds in the plant with known medical uses.

It belongs to a unique class of compounds called cannabinoids. Since Dr. Mecholam’s discovery, more than 60 other cannabinoids in cannabis have been identified.

THC is used in FDA-approved pharmaceuticals

While THC is still illegal in the U.S. and most countries around the world, synthetic versions of the chemical have been legally prescribed for decades.

The first THC-based pharmaceutical, called a Marinol, was developed by a company called Unimed Pharmaceuticals with funding from the National Cancer Institute. In 1985, Marinol received FDA approval as a treatment for chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting.

Since then, other pharmaceuticals containing THC have been developed. These include Cesament, a synthetic form of THC, and Sativex, a whole cannabis extract administered as an oral spray.

THC can protect brain cells and stimulate their growth

Contrary to the age old story that THC destroys your brain cells, it has been proven to have a number of positive effects on them. Whereas most recreational drugs are neurotoxic, THC is considered to be a “neuroprotectant,” meaning it can protect brain cells from damage caused by things like inflammation and oxidative stress.

Scientists have even shown that THC can promote the growth of new brain cells through a process known as neurogenesis. This effect was first discovered in 2005 by researchers at the University of Saskatchewan.

Dr. Xia Zhang, the study’s lead author, noted in an interview with Science Daily: “Most drugs of abuse suppress neurogenesis. Only marijuana promotes neurogenesis”.

Chemicals like THC are found in the body

Following the discovery of THC, scientists went on a decades long search for similar chemicals in humans that might explain its effects. In 1992, Dr. Mechoulam and his team made another breakthrough when they discovered a molecule called anandamide.

Anandamide is one of the few cannabinoids produced in various parts of the body, including the brain. Similar to the way opioids work by mimicking their natural counterparts, chemicals in marijuana mimic naturally occurring cannabinoids called endocannabinoids.

Both anandamide and THC act on pathways in the body called cannabinoid receptors. In the brain, anandamide works to regulate mood, sleep, memory and appetite.

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1. Marijuana slows and stops cancer cells from spreading.

Found in the study, published in the journal of Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, it was found that Cannabidoil has the ability to stop cancer by turning off a gene called Id-1. In 2007, researchers at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco, reported that CBD may prevent cancer from spreading. They used cannabidoil to experiment on breast cancer cells in the lab that had a high level of Id-1. The outcome was positive, the cells had decreased Id-1 expression, and they were less aggressive spreaders.

On another note, the American Association for Cancer Research has found that marijuana actually works to slow down tumor growth in the brain, breast, and lungs, considerately.

2. It prevents Alzheimer’s disease

A 2006 study led by Kim Janda of the Scripps Research Institute found out that THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, slows the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. THC slows the formation of amyloid plaques by blocking the enzyme in the brain that makes them. These plaques kill the brain cells, potentially leading to Alzheimer’s disease

3. Treats Glaucoma

Pot can be used to treat a condition known as glaucoma, which increases the pressure in the eyeball, injuring the optic nerve and causing loss of vision. The National Eye Institute has found that marijuana lowers the pressure inside the eye, “Studies in the early 1970s showed that marijuana, when smoked, lowered intraocular pressure (IOP) in people with normal pressure and those with glaucoma.”

The effects of using marijuana can prevent blindness

3.Relieves Arthritis

In 2011, researchers reported that cannabis reduces pain and inflammation, and promotes sleep, which may help relieve pain and discomfort for people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.

Researchers of the rheumatology units at several hospitals gave their patients Sativex, a cannabinoid-based pain-relieving medicine. After two weeks, they found that patients on Sativex had a significant reduction in pain, and improved sleep quality compared to placebo users.

4. Controls Epileptic seizure

A 2003 study has indicated that the use of marijuana can control epileptic seizures.

Rober J. DeLorenzo, of Virginia Commonwealth University, gave marijuana extract and synthetic marijuana to epileptic rats. The drugs stopped the seizures in about 10 hours. It is fond out that the THC controlled the seizures by binding the brain cells responsible for controlling excitability and regulating relaxation. These results were published in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

5. Eases the pain of multiple sclerosis

Cannabis works to stop the negative neurological effects and muscle spasms caused by multiple sclerosis. A study published in the Canadian Medical Association suggests that using marijuana may ease painful symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

Jody Cory Bloom studied 30 multiple sclerosis patients with painful contractions in their muscles. These patients didn’t respond to other medications, but after smoking marijuana for a few days, they reported that they were indeed in less pain. The THC bonds the receptors in the nerves and muscles to act as a pain reliever.

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It also used in the treatment of Cancer of All types, Neuro-degenerative diseases such as Epilepsy,Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

In addition it is being used to treat Arthritis, Diabetes,Leukemia, Osteoporosis, Crohn’s Disease, Insomnia, Migraines, Depression , Asthma, Multiple Sclerosis, Psoriasis, Glaucoma, Burns, Chronic pain, Alzheimer’s Disease, Mutated cells (tumors, polyps, warts), Stroke, High blood Pressure(Hypertension)and many more.

THC oil has been tested at 40% to 65% THC. The oil is made from White Widow strain of Marijuana which is also a hybrid strain that is 60% Indica and 40% Sativa. and many experts believe this may be the strongest marijuana strain in the entire world.

THC Oil has also been used to cure the following ailments especially Cancer of All Types, Arthritis, Diabetes, Leukemia, Osteoporosis, Crohn’s Disease, Insomnia, Migraines, Depression , Asthma, Multiple Sclerosis, Psoriasis, Glaucoma, Burns, Chronic pain, Alzheimer’s Disease, Mutated cells (tumors, polyps, warts),Stroke,High blood Pressure(Hypertension)and many more.

Charlotte’s Web(CBD) is a strain of medical marijuana that is high in cannabidiol (CBD) content but low in THC, ideal for people avoiding the psychoactive “high” effects of THC associated with Recreational Marijuana. It does not get you high as its 0.01% THC and 100% pure CBD.

This strain was named after a little girl name Charlotte in Colorado. She has epilepsy of a sort and she went from 300 seizures a week to one a week. She eats it in food and is now basically cured, leading a normal life thanks to marijuana.

Charlotte’s Web(CBD)has also been used to cure the same ailments as THC Oil and more.

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