2024-04-01 11:08:42
The legalization of cannabis comes into force today. In addition to the relaxing effect, consuming the hemp plant also poses some risks.
Since 2017, patients with serious illnesses have been entitled to cannabis under certain conditions. But how exactly does the hemp plant work and what risks does it pose? An overview of medical and health aspects of cannabis consumption:
What active ingredients does cannabis contain?
A hemp plant contains several hundred chemical compounds, including the so-called cannabinoids and substances from other groups of substances such as amino acids, proteins, sugars, alcohols or fatty acids.
The two main ingredients in cannabis are delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). Among other things, the following effect is attributed to them:
- pain relieving
- anti-inflammatory
- appetitanregend
- relaxing
- euphoric
- antispasmodic
The THC also has an intoxicating effect.
What is the THC value?
According to studies, THC levels have increased significantly in recent years. In cannabis resin, also known as hashish, the average THC content roughly tripled and in cannabis flowers it almost doubled. According to experts, this could also lead to an increase in health risks.
In return, studies have shown that the content of cannabidiol, which is said to have a relaxing or anti-anxiety effect, has decreased in many highly cultivated cannabis varieties. Experts see this disproportion between a lot of THC and little CBD as an increased risk of cannabis psychoses.
What health risks does cannabis pose?
Critics of legalization point to the risk of damage to health and psyche, especially for younger people. The maturation of the central nervous system and the brain is not complete until the mid-20s. The earlier, more frequently and more intensively cannabis is consumed, the greater the risk of developing psychosis and schizophrenia, especially for people with pre-existing conditions.
According to the German Society for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Psychosomatics and Neurology (DGPPN), around ten percent of regular cannabis users develop a mental disorder.
Where does cannabis work in the brain?
The pharmacological effect has not yet been fully elucidated. Much of the effects of cannabis are attributed to two of the body’s cannabinoid receptors – CB1 and CB2. According to brain researcher Martin Korte from the Technical University of Braunschweig, cannabinoids have a particular effect on the frontal lobe, an important part of the frontal brain.
This region of the brain gives people the ability to plan actions, solve problems, and control impulses. “If young people smoke weed regularly, they risk a reduction in these abilities, they react more impulsively and have difficulty concentrating on a task,” says Korte.
Cannabis primarily affects the limbic system, which is linked to short-term memory, certain emotional qualities and the ability to concentrate. Pathological changes in the brain do not always go away even after the active ingredient in marijuana is stopped. In the long term, stoners’ short-term memory is impaired, thinking skills are impaired, reading comprehension and the ability to solve mathematical problems are impaired.
How common are diagnoses?
According to the Central Institute for Statutory Health Insurance (ZI), a total of 108,313 legally insured people between the ages of ten and 54 were documented to have a mental or behavioral disorder caused by cannabinoids in 2021. However, the ZI assumes that the number is unreported.
Data from the Kaufmännische Krankenkasse (KKH) recently showed that in the 15 to 24 year old age group, diagnoses of acute intoxication, dependence, withdrawal symptoms or psychological problems due to cannabinoids increased one and a half times between 2012 and 2022.
What are the remaining consequences?
In addition to the short-term intoxicating feeling, anxiety, feelings of panic, film tears, heart palpitations or nausea can occur. Cannabis reduces attention and restricts psychomotor skills, i.e. movements influenced by psychological processes such as walking and speaking.