Smoking Weed vs Edibles: Which Is Better for Your Brain?

Everyone who enjoys marijuana has their preferred method of consumption. In these advanced and semi-legal times, that can be anything from vaping to eating to drinking or even good old-fashioned smoking. Each type of consumption has a high that sets in a little differently, and comes with its own set of advantages and disadvantages.

While many of the pros and cons associated with how you consume your weed are minor and superficial, others are slightly more serious. In fact, how you consume your marijuana can even affect how healthy (or unhealthy) the substance is for your body — even your brain. After all, all of the organs that interact with THC lead to the brain in one way or another. When it comes to eating your weed or smoking, which is better for your brain health?

Photo by wildpixel/Getty Images

Why smoking weed is both better and worse for your brain

People prefer smoking weed over eating it for many reasons, but one of the most important is the speed at which weed hits you when you smoke over eating it. As we so far reportedSmoking weed kicks in much quicker than edibles. This not only allows you to get high faster (which is often the goal), but also prevents you from consuming too much THC at once. It’s much easier to control your dosage and avoid overdosing, which is great since overdosing can have negative effects on the brain, including memory problems and paranoia.

RELATED: When Exactly Should I Pop My Edible?

However, smoking weed can cause real damage to your lungs. As we did before reported, cannabis can cause all kinds of lung problems over time. While these lung issues may seem bad enough to steer you towards a different method of consumption, there’s also evidence that poor lung health can even affect your brain. Corresponding the book An overview and management of several chronic diseases“Lung disease and impaired lung function have been associated with a higher risk of dementia and mild cognitive impairment from both Alzheimer’s disease and cerebrovascular etiologies.”

While it may be easier to dose and get high quickly, the potentially worse health issues of consistently smoking your weed may be why many consumers prefer to eat their THC.

smoking marijuanaPhoto by rez-art/Getty Images

Edibles are smoke-free but come with their own brain baggage

Perhaps the biggest and most obvious brain and health benefit of eating your weed is that there is no smoke inhalation. By ingesting your THC, you eliminate many of the potential negative health effects that can damage your lungs and even your brain. While this is great news for your lungs, eating edibles comes with its own health risk factors that can mess with your brain.

RELATED: Can Cannabis Keep Your Brain Young?

According to that CDC, “Edibles, or marijuana-infused foods and beverages, have some other risks than smoked marijuana, including a greater risk of poisoning.” The reason for this, according to the CDC, is that inexperienced users can always consume more, since it can take up to two hours for them to act, leading to dangerous overconsumption. While cannabis overdoses (also known as acute cannabinoid overdoses) are not a common symptom of cannabis use and are not directly life-threatening, they can have adverse effects on the brain.

Per health line“The combination of the highly variable THC concentration and long latency period of cannabis edibles makes it very easy to unintentionally overconsume them, which can lead to unwanted symptoms such as paranoia and impaired motor function.” Paranoia and other mental problems are never good for your mental state or brain Health, not to mention they completely ruin any chance of enjoying your experience.

Ultimately, regardless of how you consume your marijuana, consuming wisely is best for your brain and body as a whole. Reducing the smoke you inhale and controlling your dosage are both ways to ensure your body and brain are enjoying the benefits of weed without the potential downsides.

Post a comment:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *