Some day it will happen, I just know it. As a future educator it is my job to get my students out of their seats and diving headfirst into science. WHY? WHY? WHY? This will be the question that I will have plastered all over my classroom, the fundamental question of science. I want to show my students how knowledge of chemistry can give them a new view on the world, as well as be a powerful tool at their disposal. So what happens the day I am asked about the pros and cons of Marijuana on a chemical level? Part of me hopes this day never comes, part of me (secretly) hopes that my students are engaged enough to ask real world questions like this. And the final part of me is glad that I don’t have to think about the red tape at the moment because I am not licensed or teaching.
So where would this discussion go? The first point I would make is the body is complicated. Well… MAJOR understatement the body is extremely complicated. We are made of little insignificant and seemingly inert atoms and molecules can come together to create indescribably impressive structures, which are called cells. These cells then must interact, communicate, and build upon each other to create the body, as we know it.
As mentioned these cells need to communicate complicated messages to the others. How is this done? I am glad (I can imply) that you asked. If a cell has a job to do a signaling molecule can be sent out, which would be comparable to a boss sending you an email. As soon as this signal is received the cell gets to work, the process happens when a signaling molecule attaching to a receptor (seen in the below figure). But this simplified analogy gets complicated fast, many of the receptors of the cells begin different tasks, and many receptors can accept different messengers. And that is where the fight between Marijuana’s THC, and The Body’s Endocannabinoids begins.
The Endocannabinoids (eCBs) are an essential part of the human body; in the situation above they would be the signaling molecules (aka the email). When they attach to receptors the effects can be lower levels of different chemicals in the body. Specifically GABA, and glutamate, including MSG, which influence motor activity, learning, and memory. eCBs also protect neurons from death during times of excitotoxic injuries. All of these are positive and important effects of eCBs. Now the interesting part of the story is that Marijuana’s THC is very good at mimicking the eCBs by attaching to the same receptors. Which would imply that THC is just as good for the body as eCBs, which would further imply that Marijuana is also good for the body. Well if your are making those implications STOP!!! There is still more to this story.
Endocannabinoids are not all good if they attach to the wrong receptor they can induce neurotoxicity inducing brain damage. Which means that THC could potentially do the same. Another negative of having marijuana’s THC in the body would be that the receptor interactions be different then normal, because you would have both THC and eCBs in the body. A third complication would be the delivery system, for the most part eCBs stay where they need to be in the body, but because the THC enters the body by inhalation there are many more places it can travel, messing with the delicate and complicated systems in ways we cannot yet understand. And finally there is the complication that THC isn’t the only chemical in Marijuana, which means that there is potential that other chemical problems may occur.
Morals of the story:
- The body is complicated.
- Marijuana has both positive and negative effects on the body.
- If a student ever asks me about marijuana, I am sending them to the biology teacher.
