They say that it causes brain damage, this that and the next. Does it really just boil down to ‘lungs only supposed to breathe air’
In: Biology
THC is a drug that, on paper, is a “stimulant”. This is the same class as caffeine, nicotine, amphetamine, cocaine and methamphetamine. These drugs all cause your brain to release dopamine or will attach to dopamine receptors, which is why they cause the pleasant feel-good feeling that they do. THC does not attach to all dopamine receptors, and it also will attach to cells in your gastrointestinal system as well. THC is also a “fat-soluble” drug: it dissolves in fat and oil rather than water, and as a result you can only consume so much before you essentially have to “force” more THC into your system since your blood stream won’t readily absorb it.
Everything below this is speculation and not backed by medical science.
There are generally three potential types of reactions one can have when they consume THC. The most common one is “some dopamine receptors speed up, so some others slow down”…the couch stoner. You feel pleasant, but you also feel relaxed. The first uncommon one is “some dopamine receptors speed up, other dopamine receptors remain exactly where they are”…the artist stoner. For this group, THC is more like a stimulant like Adderall or other ADHD meds, and it doesn’t have the “lazy stoner” effect. Finally, “dopamine receptors speed up, other dopamine receptors decide it’s party time”…you shouldn’t consume THC again because if you fall in this category, you will develop schizophrenia.
So the risk of falling into “group three” above is why there is concern about brain damage from THC usage. If you don’t have that happen when you smoke pot, it’s probably not going to happen unless you go for a high dosage of edibles or smoke a concentrate.
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