Cannabis Use Disorder: How Cannabis Affects the Brain

Today's Cannabis Is Not What It Used to Be

The cannabis sold in dispensaries and illegally is not the cannabis from the 1960s or even the 1980s. According to the Partnership to End Addiction, the cannabis that is being illegally produced and sold is often laced with other substances such as cocaine, or fentanyl-laced fake pills (i.e., Percocet and Vicodin, etc.). This causes concern for higher risks of addiction, which may include cannabis-induced psychosis (Young-Wolff et al., 2026). The information in the box below is provided by National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

What Is Cannabis and How Does It Affect the Brain?

Marijuana / Cannabis:
Cannabis refers to the dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds of the cannabis plant. The plant contains tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which has intoxicating, mind-altering effects. Marijuana affects the cannabinoid receptors in the brain. Cannabis products with THC can cause changes in mood, thoughts, and perceptions of reality.

Can Cannabis Use Lead to Mental Health Problems?

In the United States, cannabis is frequently used among adolescents, with 11.2% use in children aged 12–17 years (Young-Wolff et al., 2026). Cannabis use at an early age has been linked to other mental health conditions, including the likelihood of developing psychotic, bipolar, depressive, and anxiety disorders (Young-Wolff et al., 2026).

What Are the Symptoms of Cannabis Use?

Increased appetite, sedation, disinhibition, euphoria, poor judgment, slow reaction time, paranoia, delusions and derealization, and cannabis-induced psychosis.

What Happens in the Brain When You Use Cannabis?

In your brain, there are groups of cannabinoid receptors concentrated in several different places: the hippocampus, cerebellum, and basal ganglia. These receptors affect multiple mental and physical functions, including short-term memory, coordination, learning, and problem-solving.

When THC binds to the cannabinoid receptors in the hippocampus, it interferes with the recollection of recent events, causing a loss of short-term memory. When THC binds to the cannabinoid receptors in the cerebellum, it interferes with muscle coordination, causing problems with balance. The basal ganglia control unconscious muscle movements, which is another reason motor coordination is impaired.

Why Does Cannabis Make You Hungry?

Cannabinoids have been found to play a role in the system that regulates hunger. THC overloads cannabinoid receptors, resulting in an intense craving for food in some individuals. This can be a positive effect for people who use cannabis medicinally, as it also increases the pleasure of eating.

Why Does Cannabis Cause Anxiety and Paranoia?

THC activates a cannabinoid receptor in the amygdala. This activation means that marijuana enhances the perception of fear in some people, leading them to perceive mild experiences as scarier and more threatening than they are. Long-term marijuana use can lead to increased fear-based learning and falling into fear-based patterns that are not grounded in reality.

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