Debunking Marijuana Myths and Facts

Even if one’s beliefs are incorrect, it might not be easy to change them. Some people are undecided about an idea and persuaded after hearing facts about the misinformation. 

Thus, one must know how to spot myths and misconceptions to avoid confusion. If not, it becomes harmful information that may deter any help cannabis may do. 

Here are some cannabis facts and myths that should be debunked to help better understand the plant. Let’s start with the components of the plant.

Cannabis 101

There are over 545 recognized chemical compounds in cannabis. The two stars are the cannabinoids called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).

Both of these chemical compounds act by activating the receptors on your brain. These set off chemical reactions that change both your mind and body function.

THC is behind the sensation of people with cerebral buzz, who connect with a harsh toke. Yet it’s also responsible for many of the adverse symptoms of weeds, such as paranoia and anxiety.

The CBD balances THC’s toxicity. It’s non-intoxicating, which means CBD isn’t getting you very stoned.

Researchers and medical professionals also conclude that CBD may help relieve anxiety. Based on animal studies indicates that CBD can be helpful towards inflammation and depression. These are some of the many marijuana facts that they have unraveled as they focused on studying the benefits of this plant.

There’s more to this plant than meets the eye. It has evolved throughout time and has proven to have medicinal effects. 

Still, some are not yet informed of the benefits one can get out of it. Up until now, many people still believe certain marijuana myths. Now let’s debunk these myths one by one.

Marijuana Myths Debunked

Myth #1: Marijuana plants are more potent today than in the 1960s.

As the years’ pass, it’s not only cannabis myths that get “stronger and more powerful.” One of those myths includes marijuana itself. As there are many issues about government regulation on marijuana use, myths can get heightened. Thus, it supports the non-passage of some cannabis-centered laws.

The notion that cannabis has significantly increased in potency is a DEA fallacy based on distorted government data, as demonstrated by Dr. John Morgan in a recent NORML article.

During the early 1970s, marijuana tests came from old, low-power Mexican “kilo bricks” left in police lockers, whose potency had degraded to sub-smokable levels of less than 0.5 percent.

These have been contrasted with later samples of decent-quality domestic marijuana, making it seem to have skyrocketed in potency.

Debunked: By contrast to the common misconception, higher potency is not more harmful as cannabis consumers prefer to change their dosage according to their strength. 

Myth #2: Marijuana is a gateway drug.

Another famous cannabis myth is that marijuana is used as a gateway drug. A rather “soft” drug.

This is a myth because addiction can happen when users are prone to addictive behaviors, not because they have tried a softer drug and are addicted to tasting something more substantial.

The Gateway theory is the idea that using “soft” drugs like cannabis and alcohol will lead to experimentation with more dangerous drugs. This type of cannabis myth is the most popular.

Debunked: Research support that many factors, including genetics, poverty, and the social environment, cause substance use disorders

Myth #3: Marijuana use lowers IQ levels and makes people lazy.

There’s one study that proves this otherwise. Multi-institutional research carried out by the National Academy of Sciences in 2017 followed the effects of cannabis on IQ scores in pairs of twins over a long period of over ten years.

Debunked: Further studies suggest that the results were published as follows: “Marijuana-using twins have not shown a higher IQ decline than their abstinent siblings.”

Myth #4: Marijuana Use Is Related to Psychosis

This one is also a big cannabis myth. Because cannabis affects chemicals in the brain, this is a research topic that many doctors usually look into.

Mitch Earleywine, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology at University at Albany, SUNY, and author of Understanding Marijuana, has some thoughts on the flawed research system on the psychosis of marijuana users.

Earleywine says interesting facts about marijuana that were dubbed to have psychosis in the process to it. But he refuted that the measurement of ‘psychosis’ turns out to be biased in a way that makes cannabis users look pathological because they are part of an underground subculture.

Debunked: As of this writing, experts agree that while cannabis is unlikely to cause psychosis, it may trigger such conditions in those who already have it.

Conclusion

Many marijuana myths are gaining misinformed audiences, which may hinder the legalization of the herb in the coming years.

But more and more people must learn about the different marijuana myths to shield themselves from misconception. It’s essential to learn more about different facts about marijuana. Over the years, cannabis has shown significant help in medicine in pain alleviation and relaxation.

Marijuana can be one of the most critical drugs in the following years.

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DISCLAIMER: The content of this article is for informational purposes only. The matters discussed herein may not be legal in your state. It is your sole responsibility to know your state and local laws. We do not condone or encourage any of our customers to violate the laws and regulations in the location in which they live.