The Bad and The Good of Tetrahydrocannabinol

Ever wonder why people get high when they smoke or ingest cannabis? Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the main component in cannabis that produces that high or euphoric feeling but can also alter your body in both negative and positive ways.

Although THC is natural and does not have direct toxic effects to kill a person, consuming it can lead to dependency and can directly affect your central nervous system as well as your cardiovascular system. It has been found that individuals who do use THC can have trouble remembering, concentrating, and learning new things (1). It can also affect your motor skills so driving on THC is no better than driving while drunk. In the long-term, people that continuously use THC can develop mental illnesses like anxiety and psychosis (2). In addition to the effects on the brain, THC can raise a user’s heart rate to 160 beats/minute or more (3). This can be dangerous to those who suffer from pre existing heart conditions prior to using THC. 

Nonetheless, studies have shown that THC also provides pharmaceutic properties to those who suffer from pain. Cancer patients have found THC to be useful especially in increasing their appetites and decreasing their nausea during chemotherapy (4). Once ingested, THC is also known to be a muscle relaxant, and those suffering from asthma have found that their airways opened in their lungs improving their breathing (1). It has also been found to aid individuals who have trouble falling and/or staying asleep (2). In spite of the fact that THC has been shown to increase the chances of developing anxiety, this compound has also proven to help with anxiety as well, evidently not by its everyday consumption (2).  

The negative and positive effects of tetrahydrocannabinol can differ from person to person but it is best to understand what you are getting yourself into before you decide to consume it. 

References:

(1)WHO. (2018). WHO Expert Committee on Drug Dependence Pre-Review: Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol. Retrieved February 6, 2021, from https://www.who.int/medicines/access/controlled-substances/Section3-thc-Toxicology.pdf?ua=1

(2)Holland, Kimberly. (2020). CBD vs. THC: What’s the Difference? Retrieved February 07, 2021, from https://www.healthline.com/health/cbd-vs-thc#_noHeaderPrefixedContent

(3)Ashton, H. C. (2018, January 02). Pharmacology and effects of CANNABIS: A brief review: The British Journal of psychiatry. Retrieved February 07, 2021, from https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/the-british-journal-of-psychiatry/article/pharmacology-and-effects-of-cannabis-a-brief-review/82B02735F420CB287DCC80843FC34AE1

(4)Barrales-Cureño, H., López-Valdez, L., Reyes, C., Cetina-Alcalá, V., Vasquez-García, I., Diaz-Lira, O., & Herrera-Cabrera, B. (2020). Chemical characteristics, therapeutic uses, and legal aspects of the Cannabinoids of CANNABIS sativa: A review. Retrieved February 07, 2021, from https://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-89132020000100902

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