What are the Side Effects of Weed?

Written and Fact Checked by S. Zulfiqar

Whether it’s weed, marijuana, pot, or grass we’re talking about, all these are just different names of the same drug or plant. All these are products of the same plant, i.e. cannabis. There are lots and lots of ways to consume the drug. You can either smoke a weed session with your like-minded friends or just have a similar vaping session. You can also consume it by drinking or simply by eating it. How to consume the goodness of the plant entirely depends on the consumer. If you’re planning to try the plant, these are some of the most popular choices you have.

So what are the side effects of marijuana? 

So what happens if you smoke weed every day? Are there even any side effects at all? The answer is quite simple. Yes, of course, there are side effects of consuming weed.

While most people use the drug for purely recreational purposes, doctors have also started recommending it as it offers a lot of potential medical benefits.

Marijuana is a drug that comes from the cannabis plant. It consists of plenty of different compounds with mind-altering properties that can impact your body and the brain. Of course, it can be addictive, but it varies from person to person. Some people only consume it occasionally, while others smoke every single day. So as far as the addiction part is concerned, it’s only addictive if you allow it to be addictive. If you don’t, then it’s not addictive.

The negative effect is what happens when you smoke too much weed. Therefore, it’s always recommended not to consume too much. There are a lot of factors behind why it should not be consumed so much. First, you might overdo it, and things can quickly become, well, not so ideal. So you wouldn’t want to consume too much of the plant. Secondly, if you’re consuming it regularly and that too in high volumes, your body will get used to it, and eventually, you will stop feeling as high as you used to. Sooner or later, it will start giving you less pleasure than it used to.

Now let’s take a look at what happens when you use weed and what are its side effects. Well, it gets you high. This is the biggest reason why people use it. There are a couple of significant compounds that are found in the plant that are THC and CBD. THC has psychoactive properties, and it gives you euphoric feelings. In other simple words, it’s THC that makes you high or relaxed, whatever you want to call it.

If you smoke or vape weed, the THC from the plant may enter your bloodstream, which can quickly get you high. That means that smoking the plant can get you high in no time. It usually takes from a few to about 30 minutes to get you high. And the high usually lasts for a couple of hours (sometimes between 1-3 hours). So if you’re willing to try it with your friends, take a moment to do the maths.

In case you are planning to consume it orally (by eating or drinking), you might not know how much time it will take to kick in. That’s because our bodies are made differently; although it might seem that we’re all the same (and we are), not all of us are made exactly alike.

Temporary Side Effects that Weed Consumers Face after a Smoky Session

1. You might face short-term memory problems

That means that if you have just had weed, you might, even for a few seconds, forget where you are. Of course, the effects do not last forever; it’s just to give you a better idea.

2. You might notice some behavioural changes in yourself 

They might start acting strangely, thinking they see or hear things that aren’t there. Sometimes, people say that they are even smelling things that are not even there. This is called hallucination. 

So if you ever face such a situation, make sure to stay calm because it’s only one of the side effects of what you’ve been doing. And if things start to get out of hand, call for help by asking your friends to come over and rescue you.

You might also feel the panic situation. If you or your friend starts daydreaming and having red eyes after smoking, you wouldn’t want to worry so much. Just let them enjoy the moment because we all know it won’t last forever.

3. You might also feel that your heart rate has increased while your reaction time is lowered

This is another common side effect of weed. Have a deep breath or have a glass of water or do both. Such effects usually last for about an hour or so.

Other temporary side effects are dry mouth, increased appetite, and red eyes.

What are the Long Term Effects of Smoking Weed

Similarly, there are a few long-term effects as well, and they are not pretty. Regularly consuming weed and consuming in excess might lead to:

•         Lowered IQ.
•         Not so cool performance, back in school
•         Getting addicted to the stuff
•         Losing motivation and the will to be active like you used to
•         Inability to perform complex tasks that you usually would’ve done when you weren’t smoking
•         A decline in life satisfaction

What does Weed do to Your Lungs?

If you smoke or weed for years without a break, it can have an impact on your lungs. The weed toxins will injure the tiny cells in your lungs, making it hard for you to breathe. The weed smoke contains cancer-causing agents (carcinogens) that irritate the airway and disturb its function leading to health complications.

What is the Effect of the Combined Use of Alcohol and Cannabis?

Alcohol and weed may seem like an excellent combination; it’s not good for your brain in the long run. Research shows that the chronic use of alcohol and weed – called crossfading – can decrease your ability to think and drive clearly. Alcohol increases the absorption of THC in marijuana and produces a strong high, leading to unpleasant experiences. 

Our advice is to avoid the combination if you are a newbie, but if you must, go for weed before imbibing, as this will reduce the nauseating experience.

The Final Verdict? Nothing wrong with smoking weed When it’s Legal

Consuming the goodness of the plant has plenty of potential health benefits, and you might even start thinking of giving it a try. But there’s a limit. You need to make sure that you are not having too much of it. Try having friends over and talk to them about not going too far away with it. Let it be something that you do for fun, make it something casual but – do not overdo it.

 Interesting Reads: Cannabis Oil Guide, How to Make Shroom Tea

References

• Tan W, Lo C, Jong A, et al. Marijuana and chronic obstructive lung disease: a population-based study. CMAJ. 2009 Apr 14; 180(8): 814–820.
• Subbaraman M, Kerr W. Simultaneous vs. concurrent use of alcohol and cannabis in the National Alcohol Survey. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2015 May; 39(5): 872–879.