Which came first – gaming or consuming?

Star Wars Jedi Survivor catches players’ attention. Approximately 74% of households have a player and 67% of adults are focused on screen competition. While the median age is 31, 7% of those over 65 play. Dead Island, MLB the Show, Call of Duty, Hogwarts Legacy and more will draw millions of eyes as you read this.

So how did this group come into contact with marijuana? Gaming and cannabis go together like peanut butter and jelly or cocktails and ice cream. A survey by Brightfield Group found that 54% of respondents enjoy using cannabis during/before playing video games. They refer to them as cannagamers.

Cannabis was first recorded around 12,000 years ago near the Altai Mountains in Central Asia, and since then cannabis seeds have accompanied the migration of nomadic peoples. Beginning with dice some 5,000 years ago, games and intoxicants worked together. The thrill of competing in a relatively safe environment provides an opportunity to let off steam and have a good time. This shaped the gaming mindset until the invention of the video game. Grog, mead, whiskey and wine were staples at gaming tables around the world.

Photo by Aleks Dorohovich via Unsplash

RELATED: People who use weed are also more fun

The video game industry needs to be careful not to encourage underage use. Mainly because it can hinder brain development.

However, adult gamers believe that there are additional benefits to using cannabis. For over 35 years they have been combining both for pleasure. People are surprised to learn that cannabis is mentioned in games as far back as 1984. When programmers developed BBS door games and dial-up games, modems provided players with this rudimentary software for sharing content. Fancy graphics weren’t expected, instead users were clamoring for off-filter spaces that couldn’t be found in arcades or on Atari cartridges. A title of that era, Drugwars is a game where you can play a New York drug dealer and earn tons of money.

Photo by Pawel Kadysz via Unsplash

So what appeals to gamers about cannabis? The THC in cannabis affects the human endocannabinoid system, helping people feel satisfied and relaxed. In addition, cannabis keeps users feeling happy and alert while enhancing their sensory perception. Video games are also designed to make people happy, excited, and engaged. So playing in high spirits is more fun as the consumer has a sharper perception of art and music in the game.

And gaming and weed cause dopamine spikes in the human brain. Therefore, smoking weed increases these feelings when completing a level or receiving an in-game reward.

RELATED: New study on marijuana and the creative/programmer kit

Like a beer while watching baseball, gambling marijuana has become a great American and Canadian pastime.