Say that you smoked marijuana right now. It would do things to your mind and to your body. You could become overly excited and real giggly. You might feel relaxed and introspective. You could become paranoid, and hungry, and drowsy.
Those are some of the effects that tetrahydrocannabinol, the main psychoactive compound in marijuana, might have on you and the trillions of cells within your body. Because of the abilities of compounds in marijuana to stimulate our sensations, some people use cannabis to cope with chronic pain, anxiety, and other health problems.
But tetrahydrocannabinol is just one of the many compounds in a class of molecules known as the cannabinoids, which can also be found within your body even if you don’t use marijuana or products derived from it.
Right now, your body is growing its own crop of cannabinoids to run itself smoothly. It uses the endocannabinoid system, and it is how mood, appetite, and other sensations are regulated.
