The Effects of Cannabis (Marijuana) on the Brain & Body | Huberman Lab Podcast #92

Smoking cannabis destroyed my life for over 19 years. Also suffered severe depression and mental illness. It's just amazing how psilocybin mushrooms treatment saved my life honestly. 5 years clean. Never thought I would be saying this about mushrooms.

I stopped ingestion of cannabis since the mid-70s at the dawn of "Thai Stick" and the disappearance of the swag that made me so happy as a teen. My reaction to WEED is weird in my old age and is NOT typical.
Every so often I imbibe a little and can have a wonderful time if EVERYTHING is just right (but unrepeatable).

But the problem ISN'T that I get paranoid from cannabis, It's something totally different. When I smoke cannabis, I lose my ability to organize my mind. I can't even string words together to make a sentence. I get VERY disassociated, and if I am in a "social" environment I am in a constant state of anxiety because of my absolute inability to respond to friendly people at the party.
If I'm home alone with music in a dark corner, it's an okay weird time before I slip into slumber.

The "folk theory" that makes sense to me is that type 1 has that effect much more than type 2 (going towards type 3). This is explained by how much CBD has a function in helping to regulate the THC's effect on the brain.

The old swag had much more of a balance of the two than the "vastly superior" super-potent strains that we encounter today. I purchased a small amount at a dispensary when I visited Mass. It claimed to be a strain of cannabis with plenty of CBD in it.
It was nice... but that was a couple of years ago. I am not motivated to get more... My "crutch" nowadays is small amounts of Kratom... fresh air... and plenty of sunshine...

Edit: The "folk theory" stated here would seem to be debunked by Andrew. But my situation is NOT increased anxiety but severe disassociation and incoherence in the ability to RELATE to anything about my life, anybody else's, or the world in general. So I'm not convinced that the "folk theory" is incorrect... but I'm open-minded.

Kids with a narcissistic father or mother are prone to a lifetime of addiction.

Never smoke cannabis before math class. Big mistake! I learned that one the hard way.😫

I've been using cannabis for 45 years. To my knowledge the only problems that it ever caused me was when I got caught with it. I will say this though. I don't think people should use cannabis until age 25 or older. If you use cannabis when you're young it can really screw you up in school. Also cannabis should only be used after the business day is complete. We should never use cannabis when we have important things to take care of. Cannabis should be used as a treat at the end of the day. I had a successful career I'm retired now, what I have learned is just like everything else cannabis is a double-edged sword, it can help you but it can also hurt you.

Cannabis is not for everyone. If you can't handle it don't use it.

Listening this while high on weed is something else🤩

Listen to Rick Simpson IDK y this auto played after a Rick Simpson" interview with saints dispensary" blah blah blah

Funny how every comment here is anti weed.. no debate channel

Mama said medula oblongota...lmao

On marijuana, one might steal a twinkie... on alcohol, which is legal, one might kill another via car or blackout... lots of facts here, but whats the bottom line? Anyway you slice it, were' all gonna die, weed promotes positive love... alcohol, geez, enuff said... legalize it, dont criticize it.. boòoìii

I wonder how much different my life would be if i never smoked before. Im so addicted

I have cut down massively (from daily to monthly) as i still enjoy smoking socially, i have a question though:

Does anybody else get allergy symptoms from smoking weed?

I haven't smoked in about two months but had a joint with a buddy two nights ago, enjoyed it a lot, however, the next day i woke up with a blocked+runny nose, sneezing, mildly itchy eyes and i am still the same after two days.

Certain strains don't have any effect and are fine, but some strains will leave me like this for a week ! I'm guessing this is something similar to hay fever but does anybody have some insight/advice how to fix this?

Thanks

There is a lot of bro science and conjecture right at the beginning. Disappointing he reinforced the whole B.S. sativa - indica dichotomy based on incorrect taxonomy and largely dataless lore about energetic vs. narcotic and even linking those to CBD:THC ratios. I know less about the psychology literature, but when he leads with information I know to be incorrect... hard to take too much of the rest as more than a Joe-Rogan-like shotgun of (mis)information you need to fact check later.

The last deep dive I did into cognitive/cardiovascular/phychological effects of Cannabis is definitely outdated, though at the time I was mostly looking at epidemiological studies. I know those have their own weaknesses, but I tend to want to know the outcome of whatever x change in structure.

I have used Cannabis to treat preexisting depression, anxiety, insomnia, and perhaps most significantly in a metaphysical sense to explore existential questions I faced during my adolescent phase of self discovery, which included loosing faith in a religious dogma in which I was raised. The first 3 reasons may be empircally researched. I personally still recieve the same palliative relief from Cannabis use, though I do not know how it affected the tragectory of my issues long-term. The fourth reason is a much more elusive matter to research, though also one where the benefit could be experienced with very low usage rates and perhaps is the most defensible as worth the risk. Iin hindsight, I 100% would do it again, at least a few times in adolescence for that purpose. Maybe not nightly for insomnia as I did and do... though other common OTC remidies, such as diphenhydramine, are associated with dementia; as is lack of sleep from insomnia. Somewhere, among treating symptoms with drugs and behavioral modifications, there is a cost benefit balance for each option.

I do wonder also, for drugs like ritalin and adderal that are regularly perscribed to children do we analyze structural changes in patients' brains as a measure of efficacy? Or is it solely on the overall emergent effects of treatment on human beings? What if Cannabis changed my brain in a beneficial way for lived experience?


I, however, must now balance any benefit I receive from Cannabis against a negative that I am surprised was not mentioned here: Cannabis Hyperemisis Syndrome. I still use Cannabis regularly, though I have become aware of the symptomology of the prodromal phase, and adjust my usage patterns and amounts. I also attempt to stay within a general philosophy of minimal effecttive dosing. I currently believe there is likely to be multiple etiologies that result in CHS and varying severities of the syndrome. I also do not think most of those susceptible need to be totally abstinent to manage CHS, as is the only option the literature offers thus far.

♾☮️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I don’t have a degree and never went to college but, this video is explained perfectly for me to completely understand

As a 40 year old regular user of cannabis who has just stopped smoking, addiction is real and shouldn’t be taken lightly. I have smoked throughout my teens and young adult hood on and off again usually only with friends who had weed, I’ve never set foot in a dispensary. During the pandemic i began going to my head shop for the first time ever, I began smoking regularly morning to night it was great. I never trusted people with their propaganda about politics let alone scare tactics toward cannabis and knew cannabis was a natural plant from earth and could do no harm. Yet everything must be done in moderation. Smoking daily felt great I felt relaxed and made my day enjoyable. About a year into smoking I began noticing whenever I was dry and needed to wait for my next paycheck, I would get very nauseous and get chills even if was only a day without smoking. I couldn’t believe it, I was confused with these symptoms knowing no one talked about such feelings with cannabis. I began to educate myself reading online forums as well as post just like this one slowly popping up on my IG feed and begin researching online what others felt. I found out about Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS), a condition in which a patient experiences cyclical nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain after using cannabis. I felt very betrayed knowing how could a natural plant do such harm. Yet the more I dove into clinical research studies made online by data driven and backed up analysis I began noticing a correlation with how I felt. The findings suggest people who use high potency cannabis are more likely to experience addiction and are more likely to experience a psychotic disorder, such as schizophrenia. TL;DR cannabis fucks you up if abused

watch refer madness the governmet would not lie right first you never know what refer pushers are cutting with lol ohn i would trust the refer pusher first before the government first who are too claim mother nature and control it what do they own mother nature no they dont and do people drink everyday and please show the death rate of drinking vs weed lol

"too much of one thing good for nothing" Bob Marley

I think it is like with everything, different people -> different outcomes. For some people cannabis wont work or is even problematic (anxiety, panic attacks, loss of motivation etc.) but for others it can be very beneficial (lower inflamation, better mood, stress reduction, more self esteem etc.)

Every episode is like a review article man. Thank you Dr. Huberman. But i would hate it if you wete my P. I. 😅

Sorry so many of you have had negative experiences with Cannabis.

I am Autistic and found Cannabis (first time user) around a year ago. 38 years old

Cannabis has been an absolute game changer for me and in some ways a super power in regards to mental and physical health.


So good ❤

After 20+ years of daily smoking, I moved to the Philippines upon retirement and experienced no withdrawal symptoms or cravings.

How can cannabis induced derealization and depersonalization not be in this episode? Heck, cannabis can even cause the in many cases life ruining disorder hallucinogen persistent perception disorder. So you literally didn't bring up two of the worst disorders that THC can cause.

Dear dr. Huberman, Im a psychiatry resident, in a month of writing this comment I am taking my psychiatry exam to become a full-fledged psychiatrist and all I have to say is: thank you! For I have used many of your videos for education purposes in order to get a deeper insight on neuroanatomy, and neurophysiology, much like this one and you have helped me so much!

I had quit cold turkey in the beginning of the summer and was going for about 60 days strong without it. Then randomly started getting urges to smoke and ended up chronically smoking again like 3 weeks ago and noticed why I had quit in the first place. Stopped working out , started eating so much junk food and wasn’t talking to my friends as much as I do. It’s like I wanna be alone and alone only i don’t even hear what people are saying to me it’s like I’m thinking in my head what I’m gonna say next and end up mumbling when I try to say something. It’s my second day now without it and I already feel a lot better and I’m gonna stay this way.

Anandamide is abbreviated AEA not EAE

This, along with the podcast about alcohol need to be played in schools. There is not enough education around these substances. As someone with younger siblings, I would feel a lot better knowing they have the full scope of information regarding these two dangerous substances. I wish I knew these things sooner... but it's better late than never. Stay sober, stay natty.

Well, I'm 71 I guess I'm done for.. Smoked pot in college. Quit at 23 after having children began again when legal medical use came along at my age 65. It helped with pain and sleep. I quit because it was causing me to have seizures ( not mentioned). I thought it was natural.

Thank you so much Dr Huberman, this was a lifesaver, I can’t appreciate you enough.

I’m pretty sure alotta people was high of the shit while watching 🤦🏾‍♂️ 😂😊

PLEASE REMEMBER FOLKS ALL MEDICATIONS WILL EFFECT EVERYONE DIFFERENTLY!

Hey what about the Xau Zhang Study from 2004 at the university of saskatchewan that proved cannabis increases the size of the hippocampus, which increased the production of brain cells.

I love Huberman’s work and find so much value it it. But gosh, even though I’m not an avid cannabis consumer, this discussion has to be one of the most negative and one-sided takes on the subject. In short: ‘Cannabis is bad for you in all ways imaginable except for a few, which are much much worse. If you’re a man or a woman, young, adult, old, parent, single, alien: it’s really bad for you. The couple of dubious positive effects are short-lived and are soon replaced by their opposite baddies.’ It can indeed be that that’s what the hard physiological science shows, but surely that’s an incomplete view. Or maybe it’s my wishful thinking talking, but paradoxically listening to this doom and gloom made me care less, not more, about the risks.

Man made drugs also cause illnesses, right?

You have done an excellent job of pinning spaghetti to a wall. 😅

The part about how pot users laugh is funny... or maybe it just seems that way coz I'm high.

What’s so lovely, is how non-judgemental Andrew is. And if we look at the comments, we can see that he gave people permission to stop without judgement. To just ‘let go’ if you will - of something that’s not truly serving them. 🙏🏻💞 Look after your selves. Love your self well. We are all worth it. 🕊️

Question for Dr Huberman- are there any studies that look at the benefits of cannabis to people with ADHD and/or the prevalence of us among people with ADHD, eg as self medication? Thank you.

I notice that when I was baked for most of the day, that was too much. Anxiety could creep up on me and I probably have a THC sensitivity to some extent. These days I can go days, even weeks without having an edible or couple of puffs.
I may quit eventually altogether but I gave up alcohol permanently in July. One thing at a time lol. Alco was gonna kill me. Weed is a fun afternoon once in a while.

Another good info-packed vid.

Great video. Hoping for the video soon that can talk about how to rebuild the damage from adolescence use!

What’s with beginning the talk ,by talking about what you’re going to talk about!!!!wtf

God is the only way you can get smarter.

I own a CBD store in Nampa idaho where THC is still illegal (medical and recreational) and I loved hearing everything you said! I’m very honest with customers when they come in because I’m not looking to just make a buck, I want people to feel better in whatever aspect they are needing. I know most people in my industry won’t say 1/2 the things (truth) you shared.

hes so obviously biased and I honestly would rather listen to Terrence McKenna.

So casual life long user, gave it up for years to raise a family and ended up on depression meds, bipolar meds. About 2 years ago I came up with a once a day d9 gummy, zinc gummy and lions main. Zero depression, zero bipolar, kids are grown up (very smart kids, I was just there when they were made) and I'm seeing the legalization of pot and legal shrooms and I'm like I knew that the whole time but I didn't know it because I wasn't given that option.
No regrets, quit being sheeple, give yourself a chance and find a better path, its out there.