Some things are good for us. Some are bad. For some, the line is not black and white. It is gray and when that happens things are not so easy. The use of weed or marijuana has been a point of contention among policymakers and the public alike. Some are known to be in approval of the decision while others are all against it.
So how do we deal with this? In some countries, it is used for medical purposes, in others, the use can be both recreational and medicinal. This article will not get into the intricacies of its approval but merely gauge if the hybridization of weed tends to increase the quality of the product.
What is a hybrid weed?
The cannabis plant is known to have various compounds including the highly active Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol and Cannabidiol. Marijuana is known to affect the human endocannabinoid system and has multiple strains developed for its use.
Three types of weeds are prominent in the market. This includes Sativa which is grown on tall plants with narrow leaves, Indica with short and broad leaves, and Ruderalis which has smaller growing times than the others. While Sativa is highly potent and known to have multiple psychedelic effects that can be used to increase concentration, Indica is used for pain management along with relaxation of the mind.
The third one is hardly used in hybrid production as it is low in THC and can only give the strains certain special characteristics. Now coming to our point of discussion, the hybrid weed often mixes the two up and helps find a new strain with all the desired effects of its parents.
Additionally, they can be either high in Sativa, Indica, or even balanced. Its effects cannot be fully rounded out as each strain gives rise to specific characteristics making it good or bad.
Is hybrid weed good?
Hybrid weed’s potency primarily depends on the plants used to scientifically create it. However, researchers believe that hybrid weed cannot be considered to be good for health. Moreover, several side effects are being listed as they are not commonly seen in the parent plants. Some of them include-
- Anxiety and paranoia– While Indica is often used by depressed patients to relieve their anxiety and paranoid thoughts, using hybrid weed has been associated with various anxious thoughts bubbling up. In most people, it is known to be very vivid and can therefore cause a lot of problems.
- Mood swings– Even when you smoke the naturally grown ones, mood swings can be a side effect. However, the users of hybrid weed are known to have these feelings exaggeratedly.
- Low blood pressure and high heart rate– Blood flows through the vessels and in and outside the heart with certain pressure. When you smoke marijuana, it could alter the pressure owing to its THC content. In hybrid weed users, this change seems to be dangerously rapid affecting the body system. It could be critical for patients suffering from cardiac events when it comes to pain management.
- Lung irritation– If the person starts using hybrid weed early in their teens, they are known to feel increased uneasiness in their throat. They also complain of breathing problems along their trachea. Studies show that as time passes by and with continuous use, the problems could escalate and manifest into chronic lung diseases like COPD.
- Cognitive problems– The cognitive impairment related to hybrid weed can also not be overlooked. Doctors believe its recurrent usage is known to cause a wide array of problems related to brain functioning. Memory loss, increased sense of fear, hallucination, impaired decision-making, and paranoia, can all be the negative effects related to hybrid weed.
- Child defects– Normally pregnant women are asked to stay away from marijuana and its substitutes. Though researchers are not yet able to understand weed’s effects on the fetus, using hybrid weed during pregnancy can result in the newborn showcasing developmental defects in the heart or brain as well. If the diagnostics are done immediately it can be fatal for the baby.
- Psychosis– This is also considered to be one of the fatal effects of using hybrid weed. The consumer can be increasingly fearful of their surroundings and due to advanced damage in decision-making could make them dangerous. The user not only takes solace in erratic behavior but also can be violent toward others.
While these are some of the effects of weed that can hardly be disregarded most concern not just the user but also his/her acquaintances and society as a whole, there are multiple doubts regarding its addiction. Doctors equivocally believe that consumption of hybrid weed can be addictive as well. And the addiction rate is high when compared to other strains.
When it comes to hybrid weed, everybody miscalculates its potency. As people use it more than required, chances are high that it becomes too late when they realize their addiction to the substance. This is also alarming since not getting help in time can lead to overdosing and many other complications listed above.
Read More: Benefits Of THC Oil: Exploring Therapeutic Uses And Effects
Conclusion
Hybrid weed might be good in quality depending on its composition, but it is not good for health in any way. While Indica and Sativa are individually used for various purposes including relieving cancer patients, hybrid weed cannot be found suitable for this. This needs to be further investigated as the implication of using a lower dosage could be different again.
Addiction is not the only major problem it presents but a range of problems including lung irritation and cancer cannot be considered a far-fetched option either. If it is used to cure pain in children with cancer as well, there are chances that their situation could escalate.
Moreover, they could be addicted to it even though their cancer is in remission. This sets a dangerous precedent and can make the fears of those against it true. Policymakers are busy debating its uses, scientists are trying to find alternatives to make it free from all psychedelic effects so that it can be helpful in the true sense.
References
- Braich S., Baillie R.C., Spangenberg G.C., Cogan N.O.I. A new and improved genome sequence of Cannabis sativa. bioRxiv. 2020:1–26. doi: 10.1101/2020.12.13.422592. [PubMed]
- Almogi-Hazan O., Or R. Cannabis, the endocannabinoid system and immunity—the journey from the bedside to the bench and back. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020;21:1–17. doi: 10.3390/ijms21124448. [PMC free article]
