Maybe you just like to use weed, which is not a bad thing at all. After all, what’s better than enjoying a bowl with friends or smoking a joint while watching a movie? In our opinion, however, weed deserves much more credit, because its benefits include more than just giving you a good time. From improving your mood when you’re feeling down to boosting appetite, creativity and your sex life… weed has all sorts of effects that not everyone knows about by a long shot. And if you already enjoy cannabis on a regular basis, chances are you can name some things yourself that aren’t on our list. Below, we delve into a small selection of the benefits of consuming cannabis.
Weed can make you more creative
Many artists agree that cannabis is ideal for creative outbursts. In doing so, cannabis activates different patterns in the brain. It usually tempers active parts and often stimulates barely active areas. Many artists, entrepreneurs and musicians praise the herb’s creative stimulus. As Bob Marley put it, “Music and weed go hand in hand. I’ve been smoking it for a long time. Ever since 1960, when I started singing.” There are even specific strains that stimulate creativity. That said, the research on this topic is conflicting. In one study 3 participants were divided into three groups. The first group received a high dose of cannabis, the second received a low dose and the third acted as a control group. The low-dose group performed the same as the control group – performance was neither enhanced nor impaired. But the creative ability of the high-dose group was found to be impaired. Therefore, more research is needed to determine whether cannabis really improves creativity or if it only appears that way.
Marijuana stimulates appetite
A side effect of cannabis often reported by recreational users is the “munchies,” or greatly increased appetite. While this may seem like a fun element of the experience, it also has practical applications, particularly for cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. People treated with chemo may experience a loss of appetite and other digestive problems. At a time when health is already fragile, a decent intake of nutrients becomes increasingly important. Cannabis can increase appetite and thus better nourish the body.
Weed helps relieve tension
Many stoners light up a joint after a long day to relax. But can cannabis really calm you down or is that a myth? Research shows that cannabis is indeed effective in this area. There is evidence that cannabis helps with feeling nervous and that it can help relieve tension. But there is a downside: The researchers found that a small dose of cannabis has a relaxing effect, but stronger varieties can lead to just the opposite. What does that mean? Simple: If you want to relax in the evening, don’t choose the strongest weed available, but try a mild variety. A powerful high, even if it’s nice sometimes, isn’t so smart if you want to relax a bit. In addition, your tolerance and preference for weed can vary. Because not all cannabis strains give the same effect and differ in strength, experimenting with different strains can be smart.
Weed stimulates a good night’s sleep
The effects of marijuana on our sleep are not yet entirely clear, as even sleep itself has not been fully explored. Still, many weed users swear by a joint before bed. They say it calms them down and they wake up refreshed in the morning. Of course, these are just people’s stories and you may have a different experience. Again, it’s important to choose an appropriate strain of marijuana and find the right dose to take full advantage of the effects.
Weed can help if you feel nervous
There are two types of cannabis users: people who say that smoking or vaping cannabis or using edibles helps them when they feel nervous, but also people who argue that it has the opposite effect on them. Again, research shows that this can all have to do with dosage. In other words, a low dose is probably better if you are tense. So don’t use a mega bong loaded with super potent buds. The good news is that if you’re looking for cannabis seeds these days, there are more than enough cannabis strains with mild psychoactive effects. This may be just what you need if your tolerance is low, but you still want to experience the chill vibes of weed. Nowadays, there really is something for everyone. In doing so, it can be helpful to experiment a bit with different varieties.
Weed has a calming effect on the body
Many people who use cannabis say that it has a special calming effect on the body. This effect is one of the most commonly cited reasons for using the plant, besides recreational use. Not only does marijuana have a physically (and mentally) calming effect, its side effects are milder than those of other drugs, such as opiates.
Weed can help you if you want to lose weight
Because marijuana is widely known to stimulate the appetite, it may at first seem contradictory that it could help you lose weight. Just think of the stereotype of eating the fridge empty after a smoking session, or “the munchies. But weed has a surprise up its sleeve in this area! Studies in this area have only been done with animals, but with them it has been shown that marijuana can help with weight loss. For example, in 2012 scientists conducted research[1] on cannabis and weight loss, finding that its influence on weight loss may depend on the strain of cannabis and the levels of certain cannabinoids. In other words, if you want to smoke to lose unwanted pounds, it might be a good idea to try different strains until you find one that works for you. Otherwise, you may be smoking with the best of intentions, but still end up with the munchies. And that’s not very helpful if you want to lose weight…
Weed can improve your mood
In the hectic everyday life, many people feel down from time to time. Therefore it is good to know that the active substances in marijuana may help to balance our mood. And that, in turn, makes for a more positive outlook on life. Even more intriguing, weed may not only affect our mood temporarily, but also have a long-term positive effect on how we feel. Studies suggest that marijuana may help form new brain connections for a positive long-term effect on mood and cognitive functions. In other words, there is evidence that people become happier from smoking cannabis!
Weed helps you control the fight-or-flight response
According to anecdotal evidence, cannabis may also help people who have had a traumatic experience. Now you may be thinking of pot-smoking veterans, but anyone can experience trauma. As cannabis becomes legal in more and more places, more and more research is being done in this area. For example, cannabis may be effective at controlling the fight-or-flight response, keeping you from overreacting. So instead of having a panic attack, for example due to memories of traumatic experiences, cannabis can help keep yourself under control.
Weed can help you become looser and more talkative
If you’re super stoned because you’ve been enjoying a potent strain of marijuana, you may feel great, but not immediately social. Sometimes, however, weed can have the opposite effect and help you feel more at ease in a social setting. Not all cannabis strains are the same: There are couch-locker strains and strains that make you talk more easily. With the latter strains you don’t hang out on the couch for hours with a movie and a bag of chips. No, these strains actually have a stimulating effect and make you extroverted, similar to drinking alcohol. Something you should pay attention to in this case is the distinction between indica and sativa. Indicas generally give you a relaxing stone that makes you want to stay inside. Sativas, on the other hand, often make you want to go out. But it’s not always that simple. In other words, not all indicas give you couchlock and not all sativas make you bounce. Even the same strain of cannabis can have different effects on different people. So again, the best thing you can do is experiment to find out which strain makes you social.
Weed may increase lung capacity
Everyone knows that smoking tobacco is not really a healthy activity. But what about weed? Surprisingly, there is evidence that smoking marijuana is not as harmful to the lungs as tobacco. It may even increase lung capacity. In research[2] from 2012, researchers studied the lung function of more than 5,000 adults for twenty years. They found that tobacco smokers developed worse lung function over time, as expected. However, people who smoked marijuana experienced unexpected and distinctly positive effects. The researchers did point out that the increased lung capacity had only been observed in moderate users who smoked marijuana occasionally; a few times a month. The positive effect was likely due to the habit of taking large pulls and holding their breath for a while. However, the researchers did not observe better lung capacity in people who used cannabis a lot. So again, moderation is the key to enjoying the benefits of cannabis.
Cannabis can serve as a means of harm reduction
It is also possible that cannabis acts as a harm reduction tool, preventing people from turning to much more harmful hard drugs. Researchers surveyed[3] 350 marijuana users and found that 40% used marijuana as an alternative to alcohol. In addition, 26% consumed it as an alternative to other drugs. Often cited as reasons less negative side effects (65%), better symptom management (57%) and less chance of withdrawal symptoms (34%). It is not difficult to understand why marijuana is a better alternative to other drugs. However, that doesn’t mean you should use a lot. Again, moderation is the key.
Weed can help in the bedroom
Could your sex life use some spice? How about a little weed now and then? If you’ve ever had sex after smoking good cannabis, you know it can make for a fantastic orgasm! But cannabis doesn’t just enhance your and your partner’s senses in the bedroom. It was discovered in research[4] of 317 adult women that more than two-thirds who smoked cannabis before sex found the sex more enjoyable as a result. These women reported having more desire and a better orgasm.
Weed can give feelings of euphoria
According to Wikipedia, euphoria is “an extreme feeling of joy. In other words, you just feel great. So it’s no surprise that this feeling is one of the most common experiences among cannabis users. The interesting thing is that it’s not just stoners who say this. A 2003 review[5] looked at twelve self-reports that confirmed this effect of marijuana use. Euphoria and also relaxation were the two most frequently mentioned experiences among users. But the researchers point out that the effects of cannabis can vary. Whether cannabis gives a euphoric effect or makes you relaxed depends on many factors, including the strain of cannabis.
Weed: common perception
There are still many stereotypes that people associate with cannabis use. That old idea of the typical stoner will continue to haunt us for some time before it is history for good. Only recently, with laws surrounding cannabis being relaxed in many places, has more serious research been done on weed. The results are already confirming what many cannabis enthusiasts have known for a long time: cannabis has many, many benefits. But let’s not forget that we are still far from knowing exactly how weed works. More and more possible applications are being discovered by the day, so be sure to stay tuned for all the developments!
