It’s no secret that cannabis use is widespread in a place like Victoria. It’s especially present in college- and university-aged individuals, not to mention its grasp on many high-school students.
Weed is just as socially acceptable as alcohol these days, so much so that if you shared any anti-marijuana opinion in a social setting, you’d be hit by a barrage of statements such as “It’s not as bad as booze,” “It helps me sleep,” and my personal (least) favourite, “The government sells it now, so it must be good for us.”
I’d be a liar if I said I’ve never smoked marijuana. In fact, I used to smoke every day.
That plant I loved so much, the one that I thought made me cooler and funnier, turned me into a zombie. It wreaked havoc on every aspect of my life.
If you’re a regular consumer of marijuana, I believe it’s imperative that you are educated on the adverse effects.
Here’s the facts.
Analysis of the data available through the National Library of Medicine shows that smoking just one joint depresses testosterone production and secretion for at least 24 hours.
This means that if you smoke a bedtime joint every night—like I used to—your testosterone levels never have a chance to return to a healthy baseline.
Low testosterone can lead to chronic fatigue, decreased libido, increased body fat, and symptoms of depression.
Regular consumption of THC or CBD up to the age of 25 leads to a higher probability of developing major depression, anxiety, and psychosis, both at the time of smoking and later in life. Many people think weed helps their anxiety when it could be causing it.
According to some studies, using cannabis can potentially harm neurodevelopment in areas like the prefrontal cortex and shrink grey matter. Grey matter controls memory, and the prefrontal cortex regulates your thoughts, emotions, and actions. Pretty important stuff, guys.
Also of note, a recent study by the Oregon Health and Science University showed a decrease in testosterone and significant shrinkage of the testicles in monkeys when exposed to the equivalent of heavy marijuana use in humans.
Several years ago, a friend said to me, “Weed has our generation grabbed by the balls.” I now understand how right he was.
Will smoking pot shrink your balls? Maybe. Maybe not.
I, for one, do not want to find out.