Legislation or not, Canada is one of the largest consumers of cannabis. According to a recent survey, approximately 18% of Canadians have consumed marijuana in the past 3 months and approximately 29% have who are between the ages of 15-34.
To add to that, there’s a large number of these Canadians that smoke weed on a daily basis.
While most are recreational users, another great percentage of the population relies on cannabis to alleviate chronic pain and to battle the symptoms of anxiety and depression. While most high-profile entities, including Nate Dogg, recommend that we are to smoke weed every day, is this then really a good idea? Or should we be wary of any adverse effects? Remember, the legal marijuana industry is still nascent and only a few research studies have been carried out on its long-term effects.
Let’s dive into the matter so we can learn more about the pros and cons of smoking weed every day.
Five Reasons Why We Should Smoke Weed Every Day
If you’re wondering whether taking weed on a daily basis is good or bad for you, here are five benefits to start you off:
Energy Boost
Most people believe that weed makes you feel lazy and unmotivated. While there are some strains that actually make you feel lazy or tired, most sativas are refreshing and energizing. Therefore, it’s nothing but a myth that weed will make us feel lazy.
If you’re looking for something that’s more energizing than your morning cup of coffee (or even with it), try cannabis.
Protect Your Brain
Did you know that consuming weed on a daily basis could be good for your brain?
According to a study conducted by researchers from Germany and Israel, daily weed consumption can boost the nerve cells in the brain, crucial to the ability to learn. As we get older, cognitive abilities decline and we are susceptible to diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
According to these researchers, weed can help us slow down the decline of our cognitive functions even as we grow old.
Reduce Blood Pressure
When you consume weed irregularly, your blood pressure tends to spike. But when you consume weed on a regular basis, your body adapts and maintains regular blood pressure.
Over time, consuming weed on a daily basis helps you maintain an ideal blood pressure, helping you to maintain these regular levels.
End Dependence On Opioids
In America, almost 100 lives are lost daily due to excessive use of opioids, while Canada is feeling the effects of an opioid crisis as well.
Opioids are used to treat a number of health symptoms, althought they have deleterious side effects. Cannabis can help treat the same symptoms that opioids treat, without subjecting the users to certain life-threatening side effects.
According to a study conducted in Michigan in 2016, the use of marijuana reduces opioid dependence by up to 64%. The secret is to start with small doses of weed before increasing it to an optimum dose that makes you feel pleasant.
Less Chance of Obesity
Although we can link smoking weed to episodes of endless munchies, a 2013 article on the American Journal of Medicine suggests that weed consumption can lead to weight loss. It also showed that daily weed smokers have a better carbohydrate absorption compared to non-users, and this results in smaller waist circumference. Weed also blocks some insulin that is produced by the body, giving you a healthy blood sugar level.
Five Reasons Why We Shouldn’t Smoke Weed Daily
Like most other substances, weed consumption has its fair share of downsides. Here are the five cons of smoking weed.
Negative Impact On Short Term And Verbal Memory
A University of Lausanne study on the long-term effects of weed shows that daily users have a poor verbal memory. Led by Professor Reto Auer, the study examined the behaviour of 3500 Americans for 25 years. Weed smokers in the study showed poor verbal memory by the time they hit middle age. The study showed that weed smoking had no effect on problem-solving ability and long-term memory, but there was a direct effect on short term memory.
Addiction
Doing something on a daily basis can easily lead to addiction and weed consumption is not an exception. Dr. Stuart Gitlow from the University of Florida says that one of the striking features that makes it so addictive is its increasing strength. He noted that as users continue to smoke and to chase a high, the effects of weed get more intense, thus the addiction. Dr. Joseph Garbely from the Caron Treatment Center says that up to 15% of weed users end up as addicts.
A Possible Drop In IQ
Long-term use of weed can lead to a lower IQ, according to a study. A 2012 study conducted in New Zealand showed that heavy smokers who started in their teens showed a drop of 8 points in their IQ by the time they reached 38 years.
Potential Increase In Risk of Cardiac Arrest
Although most studies show that weed could lead to low blood pressure, a few studies suggest that it could also lead to hypertension. A study conducted over a period of a number of years evaluated the health of the hearts of 1,200 people. It concluded that weed smokers had a 3.34 higher chance of dying from hypertension than non-smokers. The study was published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. Although it’s one of the earliest studies on long term use of cannabis, its findings shouldn’t be taken as the gospel truth. However, it’s important to keep its recommendations in mind.
Sexual And Reproductive Health Issues
Heavy use of marijuana has been linked to infertility in men. Studies found that it leads to low sperm count and low levels of testosterone. Some studies also suggest that carbon monoxide in smoke is harmful to expectant mothers as it could lead to low birth weight. It’s important to note that there are many contradicting studies that give different conclusions on how marijuana use is linked to low testosterone levels. With all that confusion, there’s no need to blindly trust the results of any particular study as the gospel truth.
Final Thoughts On Smoking Marijuana Every Day
It’s important to note there are many other pros and come of smoking marijuana that we haven’t touched upon. If we start talking about its anti-anxiety and anti-inflammatory qualities, you’ll quickly realize that we have merely scratched the surface. Also worth remembering is the fact that there have only been a few studies conducted on the long-term effects of weed. One of the biggest concerns is the decreased brain function.
It can be said that marijuana gives you a high, as it is a drug after all. As such, consuming it on a daily basis would likely lead to addiction. We won’t recommend that you smoke it on a daily basis for recreational purposes unless you’re battling chronic pain. It’s also clear that marijuana has its fair share of demerits, although various studies on the cons seem to contradict each other.
One thing, however, is not in doubt; marijuana is a superior pain killer compared to opioids.