Hydrolife Magazine August/September 2017 [USA Edition]

enjoy
“
CANNABINOIDS HEIGHTEN
sensitivity in regions where
the receptors are found,
and they are found in the
reproductive systems of
both males and females.”
SEX
For those who are comfortable with the effects of
marijuana, sex can be more pleasurable when under
the influence of the drug. This happens because
cannabinoids heighten sensitivity in regions where
the receptors are found, and they are found in the
reproductive systems of both males and females.
The reward system also plays a major part in this
process when various forms of stimuli motivate us
to engage in a given behavior, in this case sex, that
produces a desired outcome. The release of dopamine
encourages people to repeat the action that caused
the pleasurable sensation in the first place. With the
goal of procreation being at the root of our nature, sex
was always meant to be pleasurable. It just becomes
more so when enhanced by the effects of THC.
One of the most famous experiments conducted in
the early 1900s by Doctor Skinner, best known as the
“Skinner Box,” was the start to identifying how the
pleasure center of the brain works and how it manifests
in our behavior. Basically, Skinner put rats in a
box with two levers they could press: one to deliver
food and the other to deliver a shock to their feet. They
quickly learned to avoid the lever that produced the
shock, and continued to press the food lever over and
over, an example of how the reward system operates.
Years later, James Olds and Peter Milner put a spin
on Skinner’s OG box. Instead of pain versus pleasure,
there was a lever that was connected to their brain
that would deliver pleasureable brain stimuli when
pressed, and another lever that would deliver food
when pressed. The researchers were surprised to find
that rats continued to choose the brain stimuli every
time over the food, even when they were hungry.
This happened because of the reward system
and the pleasure circuit experienced by the
lab rats. Based on these results among other
scientific studies, it seems that we are
prewired to pursue pleasurable experiences
based on our brain functions,
even if it takes precedence over
actions in pursuit of survival.
FOOD, MUSIC, AND MORE
Similar to sex, marijuana also heightens the pleasure derived
from already pleasurable experiences, such as eating
tasty foods, listening to your favorite band, or viewing
your favorite artist’s portfolio. A study conducted by Maria
Antonietta De Luca from the University of Cagliari in Italy in
2012 concluded that marijuana does enhance the effects of
our preferences, but does not necessarily cause us to change
our minds about something we didn’t like previously.
With or without marijuana, when we eat, view, or listen to
something we like, our brains release dopamine from the nucleus
accumbens, which signals to us that this is something we
enjoy, and encourages consumption of the stimuli more often.
When you add marijuana to the mix, this sensation is exacerbated,
producing a feeling of euphoria, furthering our decision
to continue “consuming” this pleasure-inducing action again.
So, to answer the question, why dope is so dope, the
explanation is clear. Our brains are wired to consume and
process the effects of cannabis naturally. With brain receptors
specifically present for the recognition of cannabinoids alone,
we can all feel good about feeling good about the good old
herb we refer to as dope.
Lacey Macri works as head of sales at
CleanGrow Ltd., focusing her time on
business development within the
company. She received a bachelor’s
degree in communications and
psychology from the University
of California, Davis in 2011,
where she worked at the
California Aggie student
newspaper on campus.
96
grow. heal. learn. enjoy.
myhydrolife.com