6 facts about cannabis you'll learn at NYC's first weed museum

Entering The Stone Age, a cannabis-themed installation that just opened in New York City, felt like stepping into a lush, green haven from the busy street. Even completely sober, I felt a wave of calm wash over me as I took in the new smells and sounds.

I visited the pop-up a couple days before the October 1 opening. Through the end of the month, canna-curious New Yorkers can explore the multi-sensory exhibition, which consists of original art, custom soundscapes, and even signature scents inspired by weed.

Before I visited the space, I asked creators Sasha Perelman and Elizabeth Santana if I should pregame with our favorite plant. They said, while I was welcome to come high, the experience was about more than just getting stoned.

While I'll certainly go back another time for a 4/20-friendly visit, I think someone who's never tried weed might even have more to gain by visiting. The exhibition is not only fun to explore, but also gives a good overview on how cannabis impacts the body, brain, and society as a whole.

Cannabis acts on the endocannabinoid system, a network of receptors focused on maintaining important bodily functions and overall harmony. Humans have natural cannabis-like compounds — endocannabinoids — that usually keep the system running smoothly.

Bringing in extra cannabinoids from an outside source typically decreases pain and increases pleasure — and for many, that extends to sexual pleasure.

People have reported more intense orgasms, lower inhibitions, and greater feelings of intimacy when they used cannabis before or during sex.

At The Stone Age, multiple art pieces explore the stages of arousal that may be enhanced by cannabis, from anticipation to orgasm.

The part of the brain associated with higher-level thinking is also activated when people get high. Studies have shown that smoking weed increases blood flow to some parts of frontal lobe, the home of creative divergent thinking.

Consuming THC can also boost mood and reduce anxiety via the release of feel-good neurotransmitters. However, some people may have unpleasant reactions to the psychoactive cannabinoid, such as paranoia or anxiety.

There are at least 113 different chemical compounds in cannabis that have wide-ranging effects.

People may be familiar with THC, the one that gets you high, or CBD, a non-intoxicating alternative that can help with pain and anxiety. But they might not know about CBN, a proven sleep aid, or CBG, "the mother of all cannabinoids" thought to be a game-changer for pain relief.

The Stone Age features an installation about the opioid epidemic, framing cannabis as a natural alternative to "big pharma." However, more research is needed to back up the potential therapeutic uses of cannabis.

Along with cannabinoids, terpenes are responsible for many of the varied effects of cannabis. Some of them are considered psychoactive, but most of them do not affect the brain unless combined with THC.

These plant-derived compounds have distinctive smells and flavors, and they're not just found in cannabis. A "terpene garden" at TSA showcases fruits and herbs that also contain the aromatic compounds, including mangoes, pine needles, and black pepper.

Some say the blend of terpenes are what makes a strain unique. The compounds definitely influence how a strain smells and tastes, but more research is needed to parse out how certain terpenes affect the overall high.

Even though cannabis has been legalized or decriminalized in most US states, tens of thousands of Americans are still doing time for marijuana offenses.

Police make more annual arrests for cannabis possession than murder, rape, robbery, and other serious crimes committed, according to the Last Prisoner Project.

The Stone Age partnered with LPP, a nonprofit organization dedicated to cannabis criminal justice reform, to make sure there was a "why" behind the event, Perelman told Insider. QR codes throughout the space invite visitors to read more about the War on Drugs or donate to LPP.

More than 6 million people are arrested on cannabis-related charges each year, and a total of 15 million are stopped by police based on suspicion, according to LPP.

Most of them are not white. Black people are arrested for marijuana possession nearly four times as often as white people, even though there's virtually no difference in their cannabis consumption, according to NORML.

The War on Drugs has disproportionately targeted communities of color, Perelman told Insider, so the team behind TSA wanted to be sure to include that aspect of cannabis history.

"How can we do a cannabis event and not have that conversation?" Perelman said. "[We want] to be able to create an environment where we're able to educate and create a call to action ... and cannabis is very much the vehicle that drives that."