What are the effects on the brain of cannabis use?
Scientists have learned a great deal about how THC acts in the brain to produce its many effects. When someone smokes cannabis, THC rapidly passes from the lungs into the bloodstream, which carries the chemical to organs throughout the body, including the brain. In the brain, THC connects to specific sites called cannabinoid receptors on nerve cells and influences the activity of those cells. Some brain areas have many cannabinoid receptors; others have few or none. Many cannabinoid receptors are found in the parts of the brain that influence pleasure, memory, thought, concentration, sensory and time perception, and co-ordinated movement. The short-term effects of cannabis can include problems with memory and learning; distorted perception; difficulty in thinking and problem solving; loss of coordination; and increased heart rate. Research findings for long-term cannabis abuse indicate some changes in the brain similar to those seen after long-term abuse of other major drugs. For examp
