Why does Cannabis make you Laugh?
Updated: May 11
Are you laughing? Cannabis has the unmistakable ability to make even the most impassive of us laugh and it's all due to the way it interacts with the brain. Have you ever noticed how your sense of humor “increases” enormously when you are soaring? Even the most mundane things have the ability to make you laugh and the things that are really funny make you explode with laughter. But why ? To say that it is "just because we are hovering" is not really an explanation. This is largely due to the many aspects of the interaction between cannabis and the brain, which makes you feel crampy from laughing.
However, this is by no means because cannabis changes the way we think: science has fortunately discovered that cannabis does not actually alter the structure of the brain. Instead, cannabis tickles us by increasing blood circulation, improving the activity of neurotransmitters and increasing reflex activity. BLOOD CIRCULATION First, cannabis use has been shown to increase blood circulation in certain areas of the brain. Notably, circulation is increased in the cerebellum, the right frontal lobe and the left temporal lobe. It is the right frontal lobe that interests us here, because scientific research has shown that it is our appreciation of humor. It is therefore reasonable to think that when this part of the brain is very active, we are more likely to laugh. NEUROTRANSMITTERS Increased blood circulation is not the only cause of hilarity. Using cannabis also stimulates the production and release of dopamine and endorphin. These substances act in the brain bringing feelings of gratification, contentment and happiness. Dopamine in particular is the neurotransmitter associated with feelings of happiness and satisfaction when we eat, fall in love, exercise and after all that we find to be rewarding. REFLEX ACTIVITY Finally, laughter is contagious and when the two preceding factors combine, it is difficult to avoid laughing just by reflex. This effect is all the more exacerbated when you smoke with others. It is a fact known more classically as futile laughter, which means that you laugh for no apparent reason, in much the same way that tickling makes people laugh, even if there is nothing really funny. So, as you can see, when you combine each of these aspects, it's really hard to stay serious - especially since there is no reason to want to be.
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