science behind smoking?

[bill]

idk ive always been someone who likes to know about the way stuff works and ever since ive been smoking ive been quetstioning how shit works even more.

Would anyone care to explain what happens inside your body when you smoke and how and why you get high because ive always been quite interested...

bill Reviewed by bill on 01-17-2005. science behind smoking? idk ive always been someone who likes to know about the way stuff works and ever since ive been smoking ive been quetstioning how shit works even more. Would anyone care to explain what happens inside your body when you smoke and how and why you get high because ive always been quite interested... Rating: 5

[freespirit89]

I've sometimes wondered this but I usually just go along with that I inhale hold then exhale with anything that I smoke, If i can ever find any bud in my area...

[bill]

i mean like what happens chemically haha i know how to smoke

[rajking86]

Here ya go Bill,

http://science.howstuffworks.com/marijuana.htm

[ChickenHuntin]

the thc goes into your lungs, then into your bloodstream and into your brain simple

[Buck268]

Long story short, the THC (as well as CBN and CBD) is similar to other chemicals in your brain. There are receptors built into your neron's around teh synaps. The canniboids fit in this receptors and cause your high.

Yes, that was very simplified, but fuck it, I don't feel like getting detailed its easy to find more info anyways, just search google or something...

[AbandonNegativity]

The canniboids fit in this receptors and cause your high.

Yeah, they get in there and tickle the receptors

[PrescriptionDrugs101]

The THC is like a really hott prostitute with no teeth and she goes down on your receptors and gives them THUNDER HEAD and the stronger the bud the better the head... you know how it goes. Im pretty sure this is scientifically accurate.

[NowhereMan]

idk ive always been someone who likes to know about the way stuff works and ever since ive been smoking ive been quetstioning how shit works even more.

Would anyone care to explain what happens inside your body when you smoke and how and why you get high because ive always been quite interested...

http://science.howstuffworks.com/marijuana.htm

Entering the Body
Every time a user smokes a marijuana cigarette or ingests marijuana in some other form, THC and other chemicals enter the user's body. The chemicals make their way through the bloodstream to the brain and then to the rest of the body. The most powerful chemical in marijuana is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol), which is primarily responsible for the "high" associated with the drug.
The most common way of using marijuana is smoking. Smoking is also the most expedient way to get the THC and other chemicals into the bloodstream. When the smoke from marijuana is inhaled, the THC goes directly to the lungs. Your lungs are lined with millions of alveoli, the tiny air sacs where gas exchange occurs. These alveoli have an enormous surface area -- 90 times greater than that of your skin -- so they make it easy for THC and other compounds to enter the body. The smoke is absorbed by the lungs just seconds after inhaling.

You can also eat marijuana. In this case, the marijuana enters the stomach and the blood absorbs it there. The blood then carries it to the liver and the rest of the body. The stomach absorbs THC more slowly than the lungs. When marijuana is eaten, the levels of THC in the body are lower, but the effects last longer

Marijuana and the Brain
THC is a very potent chemical compared to other psychoactive drugs. An intravenous (IV) dose of only one milligram (mg) can produce serious mental and psychological effects. Once in your bloodstream, THC typically reaches the brain within seconds after it is inhaled and begins to go to work.

Marijuana users often describe the experience of smoking marijuana as initially relaxing and mellow, creating a feeling of haziness and light-headedness. The user's eyes may dilate, causing colors to appear more intense, and other senses may be enhanced. Later, feelings of a paranoia and panic may be felt by the user. The interaction of the THC with the brain is what causes these feelings. To understand how THC acts on the brain, you need to know about the parts of the brain that are affected by the chemical. Here are the basics:

Neurons are the cells that process information in the brain. Chemicals called neurotransmitters allow neurons to communicate with each other.
Neurotransmitters fill the gap, or synapse, between two neurons and bind to protein receptors, which enable various functions and allow the brain and body to be turned on and off.
Some neurons have thousands of receptors that are specific to particular neurotransmitters.
Foreign chemicals, like THC, can mimic or block actions of neurotransmitters and interfere with normal functions.
In your brain, there are groups of cannabinoid receptors concentrated in several different places. These cannabinoid receptors have an effect on several mental and physical activities, including:

Short-term memory
Coordination
Learning
Problem solving
Cannabinoid receptors are activated by a neurotransmitter called anandamide. Anandamide belongs to a group of chemicals called cannabinoids. THC is also a cannabinoid chemical. THC mimics the actions of anandamide, meaning that THC binds with cannabinoid receptors and activates neurons, which causes adverse effects on the mind and body.

Other Physiological Effects
In addition to the brain, marijuana affects many other parts of the body. Marijuana is filled with hundreds of chemicals, and when it is burned, hundreds of additional compounds are produced. When marijuana is inhaled or ingested in some other form, several short-term effects occur. Some of these effects are:
Problems with memory and learning
Distorted perception
Difficulty with thinking and problem solving
Loss of coordination
Increased heart rate
Anxiety, paranoia and panic attacks
The initial effects created by the THC wear off within an hour or two after using marijuana, but the chemicals stay in your body for much longer. The terminal half-life of THC is from about 20 hours to 10 days, depending on the amount and potency of the marijuana used. This means that if you take one milligram of THC that has a half-life of 20 hours, you will still have 0.031 mg of THC in your body more than four days later. The longer the half-life, the longer the THC lingers in your body
Research shows that marijuana is not physically addictive, but it can be psychologically addictive. It's not considered physically addictive because users show few or no withdrawal symptoms during cessation. Psychological dependence usually develops because a person's mind craves the high that it gets when using the drug.

Beyond the psychological effects that marijuana has, marijuana smokers are susceptible to the same health problems as tobacco smokers, such as bronchitis, emphysema and bronchial asthma. Other effects include dry-mouth, red eyes, impaired motor skills and impaired concentration. Long-term use of the drug can increase the risk of damaging the lungs and reproductive system, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). It has also been linked to heart attacks.

Although marijuana is known to have negative effects on the human body, there is a raging debate over the use of marijuana as a medical treatment. Some say that marijuana should be legalized for medical use because it has been known to suppress nausea, relieve eye pressure in glaucoma patients, decrease muscle spasms, stimulate appetite, stop convulsions and eliminate menstrual pain. Others claim that marijuana's negative effects outweigh its benefits. There are currently nine U.S. states that allow for the use of marijuana for medical purposes: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, Oregon and Washington

The Munchies
One peculiar phenomenon associated with marijuana use is the increased hunger that users feel, often called the "munchies." Research shows that marijuana increases food enjoyment and the number of times a person eats each day, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Until recently, the munchies were a relative mystery. However, a recent study by Italian scientists may explain what happens to increase appetite in marijuana users. Molecules called endocannabinoids bind with receptors in the brain and activate hunger.

This research indicates that endocannabinoids in the hypothalamus of the brain activate cannabinoid receptors that are responsible for maintaining food intake. The results of the study were published in an April 2001 issue of the scientific journal Nature.

[Buck268]

Wow. Good info