People tend to have two reactions when it comes to using marijuana: they either find it very relaxing or they don’t. Those who belong to the latter group accuse the plant of causing them tons of paranoia and anxiety, making them feel like they are too “in their heads.”

Bad highs are almost like meltdowns, where your body’s reactions become stressful and scary. These episodes are temporary, but they still feel terrible and the only relief is either waiting them out or trying to sleep off the effects. Bad highs are a big reason why some people choose to avoid marijuana altogether.

These anecdotes leave cannabis in an interesting spot. The same plant can produce exact opposite effects in different people, all because of genetics, experience and predisposition to the drug.

RELATED: Does Habitual Marijuana Use Make You Anti-Social?

Marijuana produces effects by interacting with the cannabinoid receptors in our bodies, located in different areas, like our brain and skin. Cannabinoids, such as THC, bind to the receptors in the brain, causing either relaxing or stressful effects. Some of these receptors are located in spots governed by the amygdala, a section of tissue that’s responsible for managing emotions like fear, stress and paranoia.

THC is also known for increasing heart rates and producing an influx of thoughts — both behaviors that can cause anxiety for people that are naturally anxious or who haven’t experienced these feelings before.

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Studies show that the positive and therapeutic effects of cannabis are due to the influence of cannabinoids on our endocannabinoid systems. These positive results appear even more markedly on patients that have experienced trauma and PTSD, who usually have low levels of chemicals like anandamide.

The most clear link between freak outs and cannabis occurs when people are new to the plant or they’ve had a negative experience with it — both of which create a predisposition towards certain behaviors. What people can do in order to prevent these reactions is to stick to low and manageable doses (avoiding oils and edibles since they’re harder to manage) and smoke somewhere that’s comfortable and private, surrounded by people they trust.

RELATED: What You Need To Know Before Trying Cannabis For The First Time

For newbies and people who’ve had bad experiences with weed but are willing to give it another shot, the type of weed you smoke, your location and companions are pivotal factors. Ask your budtender for a relaxing strain, something that’s focused on the body and not the brain. By trying to manage these factors you can try to curb freak outs and reintroduce yourself to fun experiences with cannabis.

“Humans and their brains and minds are shaped, and normally function, in continuous interaction with other people. Needing each other is not limited to our inner circles, our families, and our close friends. We need each other on so many levels.

Studies have shown that marijuana can help patients feel less lonely and depressed, but that doesn’t equate to cannabis making you a social butterfly. In fact, a new study found the opposite — habitual marijuana use could cause users to become less sociable than others.

The research, published in Nature, was led by Giovanni Marsicano at NeuroCentre Magendie in Bordeaux, France. His team wanted to better understand how cannabinoid receptors works and how they interact with marijuana compounds. Previous studies established that cannabinoid receptors are primarily localized in the cell membrane.

RELATED: How Introverts Can Use Cannabis To Cope With Social Anxiety

But Marsicano and his team discovered in 2012 that some receptors exist in mitochondria, which are known as the powerhouses of the cell and provide much of the energy cells need. Along the mitochondria membrane lie little star-shaped cells called astrocytes. These astrocytes “take up glucose from the bloodstream to provide energy to the brain, thereby allowing neuronal activity and behavioral responses,” wrote the study’s authors.

Mariscano and his team had an idea: If these astrocytes contained cannabinoid receptors, how exactly did they interact with marijuana?

“Given the importance of astrocytes and energy use for brain function, we wanted to understand the role of these specific cannabinoid receptors and the consequences for the brain and behavior when exposed to cannabis,” Marsicano said.

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When researchers gave mice THC, the psychoactive cannabinoid in cannabis, it caused a cascade of molecular processes. That included dysfunction of glucose metabolism in astrocytes, which reduced the cell’s ability to transform glucose into food. Without the added energy, scientist found the animals had decreased social interactions up to 24 hours after introducing THC into their systems.

“Our study is the first to show that the decline in sociability sometimes associated with cannabis use is the result of altered glucose metabolism in the brain,” said Marsicano. “It also opens up new avenues of research to find therapeutic solutions to alleviate some of the behavioral problems resulting from exposure to cannabis. In addition, it reveals the direct impact of astrocyte energy metabolism on behavior.”

Marijuana has gone mainstream and the 90% of people feel it should be legal in some way. Currently 40 states have medical marijuana and major medical research facilities are working on unlocking the potential benefits of cannabis.

A YouGov poll discovered about 52% of Americans have tried marijuana. Among those who have tried, 43% have used it in the past year, and among those, 72% have used it in the past month.  And there is an increase among those aged 60 for not only medical use but also recreational use.

In the fall of 2022, the cannabis industry developed an economic slump due to overpricing of flower, government regulations, a still thriving black market and some bad players going under.  Coupled with lack of follow through on the Biden administration’s part to legalize marijuana, things looked bleak.  EXCEPT for consumers, who have only grown in numbers and spending. In fact, Gen Z is turning away from alcohol and using lower doses of marijuana more often and on the go.

RELATED: California or New York, Which Has The Biggest Marijuana Mess

While marijuana is used by everyone, here is some interesting data regarding ethnic groups and their purchases.

The data categories include Native America, Caucasian, Hispanics, Asians and Black/ African American. The base line is a gumbo of everyone’s purchases, but there are standouts when you look at ethnic groups just as in age categories.

In data from BDSA for spring 2023, Hispanics were the highest spend the highest per month. Hispanics spend 20% more per month and 7% more per trip than the aggregate of consumers in the most recent survey.

When looking at spend per trip, respondents who identified as Black or African American outspent Hispanics by over $2.  Per trip, Black or African American consumers spend the most. Those who identified as Black or African American reported spending 9% more per month and 9% more per trip than the aggregate of consumers in the most recent Spring 2023 survey

Asians and Native Americans spend well below the average monthly on each dispensary visit.

RELATED: Guess What Is Gumming Up The Marijuana World?

Another way to look at data is Gen Z and Millineials are moving toward vapes and edibles and away from traditional flower.  This is having an impact on the industry but is also a sign of the mainstreaming and “on the go” use as there are products which can be used in public places with the the telltalel scent.