What Marijuana Does To Your Brain And Body

Recently legalized in Washington and Colorado, marijuana has medical and recreational uses but can also be damaging to our bodies and minds.

The high you get from marijuana comes from a chemical called Tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC, which is found in varying potency.

Most of THC's effects happen in the brain, where the chemical interacts with receptors on brain cells called cannibinoid receptors. Our bodies actually make chemicals very similar to THC, which are used in normal brain function and development. THC co-opts these natural pathways to produce most of its effects.