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With more and more states and countries relaxing restrictions on consuming cannabis, people who might not have partaken regularly (or at all) could find themselves enjoying a puff here and there.
If you’re not a regular, then you might not be prepared for the phenomenon known as the “munchies” (just grab some Doritos, you’ll be fine) – but either way, thanks to a recent collaboration of scientists, we might finally have an explanation.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BzixFiTCHgZ/
The paper was published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, and it goes a long way toward revealing the reasons smoking weed makes you want to attack an order of fries or a bag of cookies.
750 participants signed up for the study, which used a tool called the Cannabinoid Eating Experience Questionnaire, which asked them to rate how pleasurable the experience of eating becomes when stoned.
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It also asked them to rate their level of hunger and the ability to feel full while stoned.
The numbers don’t lie; smoking weed increases both appetite responses. Participants were hungrier, ate more, and felt more pleasure at eating food when they were partaking.
The scientists didn’t get into the neurological or biological reasons we might respond this way, though other studies have shown that stimulating cannabinoid receptors boosts the ability to smell food (in mice).
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bv1pE3EH0Sr/
Interestingly, this study did find that the more one uses cannabis, the less likely one is to get “the munchies,” so the receptors could dull in time, or get used to the repeated effects.
Just something to think about if you’re thinking of toking up – but with food delivery available pretty much everywhere now, I’d say you don’t have to worry.
