Why Marijuana Makes You Laugh

Laughter can be turn a bad situation around and make you feel a whole lot better.  Here is why marijuana make you laugh.

Laughter may not be the best medicine – but it is probably in the top three. Norwegian researchers conducted a 15-year study on the link between sense of humor and mortality among 53,556 women and men in their country. They discovered chuckling makes you live longer.  It would seem while not laughing might mean a shorter life but would feel much longer.  Movies, memes, friends, jokes and general silliness can induce it from you.  But so can cannabis. Here is why marijuana makes you laugh.

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Laughter does more than just lift you mentally, it actually induces physical changes in your body including:

• Stimulate a number of organs. Laughter enhances intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates the heart, lungs and muscles, and increases endorphins released by the brain.
• Activate and relieve stress response. A rollicking laugh fires up and then cools down the stress response, and it can increase and then decrease your heart rate and blood pressure resulting in a good, relaxed feeling.
• Soothe tension. Laughter can also stimulate circulation and aid muscle relaxation, both of which can help reduce some of the physical symptoms of stress.

Cannabis has been associated with laughter for a millennia. In the 1st century it was recorded Pliny the Elder named cannabis Gelotophyllis, which translates to “leaves of laughter.” But what is the science?

THC, the primary psychoactive cannabinoid found in cannabis plants, increases mesolimbic dopamine transmission. The boost in dopamine production make you feel euphoric and happy, leading to spontaneous and robust laughter sessions. One of the reasons people use cannabis recreationally is the experience of a pleasant euphoria and sense of relaxation. Additional  effects, include heightened sensory perception (e.g., brighter colors) and increased appetite with an oversized perception of taste. This can lead to a light, happy feeling paving the way for giggling.

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Longer term, laughter can provide even more benefits. It may ease pain by causing the body to produce its own natural painkillers. Laughter can also make it easier to cope with difficult situations.  Also, many people experience depression, sometimes due to chronic illnesses. Laughter can help lessen your stress, depression and anxiety and may make you feel happier.

And, people like hanging out with someone who is happy – it is normally infectious and tends to bring it out in other people.  So laughing every days good for you and those around you.