Ted Audio Collective. Welcome to Ted Health. I'm Elise Hugh. Now that many US states are legalizing marijuana, let's dive into how we actually experience the drug in our brains.

I learned a lot from today's lesson from our Ted Ed educator Anise Boggi.

It dives into how weed use affects all of us rather differently, why that is, and considerations

we should make before using.

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PRX.org. In 1970, marijuana was classified as a Schedule I drug in the United States, the strictest

designation possible, meaning it was completely illegal

and had no recognized medical uses.

For decades, this view persisted and set back research on the drug's mechanisms and effects.

Today, marijuana's therapeutic benefits are widely acknowledged,

and some nations have legalized medical use, or are moving in that direction.

But a growing recognition for marijuana's medical value doesn't answer the question, is recreational marijuana use bad for your brain?

Marijuana acts on the body's canabenoid system, which has receptors all over the brain and body.

Molecules native to the body, called endokinabonoids,

also act on these receptors.

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