Even among marijuana reform advocates, misunderstandings on the actual therapeutic value of the cannabis plant exist. Often, marijuana is grouped together with cigarettes, hard drugs and alcohol, as a less harmful vice. The truth is, unlike these other substances, marijuana actually improves the mind and enhances the way people think and process information, as shown in recent studies which link an improvement in Alzheimer’s sufferers with marijuana consumption.
Cannabinoids, or the substances derived from the plant, help regulate the transfer of information between neurons (through gaps called synapses) and alter the brain’s chemistry in a positive way. It acts on cannabinoid receptors in both the cerebellum and basal ganglia, which governs the coordination of movement, and the hippocampus, which “gates” information during memory consolidation. Cannabis, thus, helps its users learn new things or break bad habits, when used appropriately.
