Physical Effects of Marijuana Abuse

Physical Effects of Marijuana Abuse

Published April 2010

What Does a Marijuana High Feel Like?

A marijuana high is a generally pleasant experience that creates a dreamlike intoxicated state. Marijuana users often feel a sense of mild euphoria and mood enhancement as relaxation takes hold. Muscles relax, and the world seems absurd and funny, often giving way to uncontrollable laughter or captivating thought even when focusing on the mundane.  Many marijuana users find thoughts flowing more easily and becoming increasingly creative and abstract. However, marijuana highs also lend themselves to slowed physical and mental reactions as well as impaired short-term memory and sedentary behavior.

What Are the Physical Effects of Marijuana?

When smoked, the effects of marijuana begin within seconds—but when eaten, marijuana’s physical and mental effects may take up to an hour to appear. This often causes those who consume marijuana through eating to take too much accidentally while waiting for the initial dose to “hit.”

The effects of marijuana are dose dependent, and usually last for a few hours. As a mild analgesic, physical pain will decrease shortly after use. In addition to a perception of relaxation, marijuana users often find muscle tension and cramping decrease. Marijuana has powerful antiemetic effect, reducing nausea within minutes of use. In fact, marijuana is sometimes used medically to aid those experiencing pharmaceutically induced nausea, such as chemo patients. Additionally, marijuana stimulates the appetite, resulting in sudden and compulsive hunger—and thus, eating—in a process popularly known as “the munchies.” People smoking marijuana will often have bloodshot eyes, a dry mouth, and experience a hacking cough. As the marijuana wears off, users tend to feel groggy, tired, and a little too full.

Can You Overdose From Marijuana?

While you cannot technically overdose from marijuana, users experience a host of negative symptoms with heavy and prolonged use. Many marijuana users report racing hearts, anxiety, agitation, and paranoia, with some users experiencing panic attacks with high doses of marijuana. For others, large doses are associated with a drop in blood pressure, causing an extreme lack of coordination, feelings of lightheadedness, dizziness, confusion, fainting and possibly a loss of consciousness. Most of these experience pass quickly as the body metabolizes the THC ingested from the marijuana.