Dr. Matthew Hill: How Cannabis Impacts Health & the Potential Risks

In this episode, my guest is Dr. Matthew Hill, a professor of cell biology and anatomy at the Hotchkiss Brain Institute at the University of Calgary and an expert on the biology of cannabis. We discuss how cannabis affects the brain to produce its psychoactive effects (feeling “high”), including altered time perception, focus, memory, appetite, and stress.

We discuss how THC vs. cannabidiol (CBD) affects the brain, the effects of different routes of cannabis administration (e.g., smoking, vaping, edibles), high-potency THC, and whether cannabis is addictive. We discuss if there is a link between cannabis use and the development of psychosis, anxiety, bipolar depression, or schizophrenia.

We discuss whether CBD has clinical benefits in regulating stress, promoting sleep, and treating certain diseases. We also discuss if there are real and consistent differences in the biological effects of different cannabis strains, if cannabis impacts hormones, and the uses of cannabis for the management of pain, stress, Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and nausea.

Listeners of this episode will get an up-to-date understanding of what is currently known about how cannabis affects the brain and body, including both its potential benefits and risks.

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Dr. Matthew Hill

Timestamps
00:00:00 Dr. Matthew Hill
00:00:00 Sponsors: Eight Sleep, LMNT & BetterHelp
00:07:16 Cannabis, THC, Cannabidiol (CBD), Terpenes
00:12:08 Psychoactive Effects, Cannabis “High”; Time Perception
00:16:55 Cannabis & Brain, CB1 Receptor, Endocannabinoids
00:26:19 Endocannabinoids Types: Anandamide, 2-AG
00:33:46 “Munchies”, Cannabis & Appetite
00:42:17 Sponsor: AG1
00:44:06 THC & Anandamide, Pharmacology
00:52:37 THC & CB1 Receptors, Intoxication & Appetite
00:58:57 Cannabis & Focus, Memory
01:04:09 Routes of Administration, Concentration, Cannabis Research
01:15:12 Self-Regulation, Inhalation & THC, Tolerance; THC Concentrates
01:22:25 Sponsor: InsideTracker
01:23:36 Addiction & Cannabis, Cannabis Use Disorder
01:31:30 Cannabis Legalization & Use, Edibles & ER Visits
01:36:48 Oral Consumption, Edibles, Dosing & Time Course
01:41:12 Drug Testing & Cannabis, Exercise
01:46:04 Cannabis & Hormones, Gynecomastia, Sperm Quality
01:54:37 Cannabis & Pregnancy; Selling Recreational Cannabis
02:04:07 Vaping
02:07:05 Psychosis, Anxiety & Cannabis
02:17:17 Cannabis, Psychosis, Schizophrenia & Genetics
02:30:45 Cannabis Use & Schizophrenia, Manic Bipolar, THC Potency, Nicotine
02:40:37 Schizophrenia, Cannabis Legalization
02:45:06 Cannabis Strains, Indica, Sativa, Subjective Effects & Expectancy Bias
02:57:00 CBD, Pediatric Epilepsy, Adenosine
03:07:22 Entourage Effect; Placebo Effect, CBD & Doses
03:19:12 Cannabis Health Risks, Cardiovascular Risk, Schizophrenia
03:27:08 Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome & Hot Shower
03:31:30 Cannabis Benefits: Pain, Stress, Anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
03:40:18 Cannabis & Anxiety, Anandamide & Stress Response
03:45:55 Scientific Discussion, Clarification & Advancement
03:49:47 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow & Reviews, YouTube Feedback, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter

#HubermanLab #Science

[hubermanlab]

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Thank you for your interest in science! -- Andrew

[jopo]

Dr. Hill and Dr. Huberman in a joint effort to weed out misinformation.

[patriaciasmith]

Psychedelics are just an exceptional mental health breakthrough. It's quite fascinating how effective they are against depression and anxiety. Saved my life.

[erveyvazquez]

32 yo here. I quit 7 months ago for different medium term purposes. Now I'm at a point where I can stay sober for the rest of my life after a decade of hard smoking. I feel more awake and energetic, and I feel like I can drive myself into that "high" state of visual appreciation without being intoxicated. It's cool to know both worlds.

[nickjassoiii]

I started with edibles at 15. 100 mg’s consistently. 250 mg’s. The high was euphoric. Then it was into pens throughout high school. I would hate being in class without being high. I discovered joints and would smoke my day away every single day. Bong rips. Every single day. Then onto dabs. Rigs, e rigs jumping between flower and dabs daily. It wasn’t until huberman pointed out you want to shoot for 2 smokes a week. I realized I was smoking about 70-80 times a week. Every time I would feel stress or discomfort or pressure I would run to that crutch. Please don’t be like me in my past: please get help, help yourself. Face reality sober. Exercise and learn sober. It’s worth it. I’m only 9 days without weed. Since being 15 I’ve been smoking out of compulsive habit. It can be done and i have faith that I’ll never turn back.

[SILERSECT-kctq]

What are the odds? The day I decide to stop smoking, this pops up. What a blessing.

[IAMMASKARADE]

What I love most about this conversation is there are several times where it’s clarified and admitted that there isn’t enough evidence or data to suggest certain conclusions. In this space so many people talk in absolutes while having very little to prove it.

[Jeeplee_rc]

Anyone else smoking while listening? While ive smoked for 10+ years pretty much daily. There is DEFINITELY negative effects.. i myself at points have realized its more of a habit than a "relaxing" thing. Its important to understand your personal relationship with weed and the negative habits it may form. And i ALWAYS treat the plant with respect and gratefulness while consuming. Very interesting information in this one.. as with everything, MODERATION IS IMPORTANT. PEACE to my fellow stoners and those who don't partake!

[toomuchdiesel]

Absolutely loved this episode! I'm an Infantry Veteran ('02-'07) and I use cannabis for my combat PTSD and tinnitus. It makes the tinnitus from 23 IEDs turn into background noise. It prevents me from having nightmares and helps manage daytime anxiety especially around crowds. But I honestly think it's the combination of cannabis, learning my sleep chrono type and adjust my life to it, getting my morning sun light, running 3x week, lifting 3x a week and all the other protocols I've learned from the Hubermanlab Podcast have really made me feel better than I ever have. So a HUGE thank you Dr. Huberman and Dr. Hill for helping me understand the science behind my favorite medication and recreational drug.

[TheThugNasty]

Let me roll a joint so I can lock in, and listen to this interview

[codymunciemusic]

1 month sober from Marijuana and 525 days sober from alcohol. The best decision I’ve made in my entire life

[Petit_Lapin_]

Listened to this twice, once sober and a second time completely baked. I must say definitely absorbed it more the second time.

[TerpsNtacos]

I’m 45 y/o and looking back been growing my own clean meds for the last 10 years. I can’t imagine a day without Mary Jane.

[JohnGeorge-pwxo]

I started smoking cannabis years ago as a teenage, switched to cigarettes. Spent my whole life fighting Cigarettes addiction. I suffered severe depression and mental disorder. Got diagnosed with cptsd. Cigarettes addiction actually destroyed my life. Not until my mom recommended me to psilocybin mushrooms treatment. Psilocybin treatment saved my life honestly. 6 years totally clean. Much respect to mother nature the great magic shrooms.

[aspireskboarding]

Quitting weed was extremely stressful for me. I basically lost my mind for a couple months. Extreme anxiety and nausea especially in the morning. Panic attacks from absolutely nothing. Waking up every night feeling hypoglycemic and needing to eat to get back to sleep. That was enough for me to never want to touch the stuff again.

Your neuro chemistry can adapt to the stuff in weird ways where without it I had to figure out how to exist again.

It took months but I’m back to normal and my overall mood and outlook on life has improved so much. The negative rumination has minimized. I was hitting the bong throughout the day everyday for many years

[CODEDSOUNDS]

smoking weed is no longer cool. When you hit 30 and haven't achieved your goals.. I quit a few months ago and realised how much time i've wasted. The issue with weed is it makes you content with doing nothing. It takes away your ambition. If you are an introvert, be careful that weed doesn't become your best friend.

[Spuddy]

Surprised this guy actually showed up after being so condescending and abrasive on Twitter. Good on Huberman for being the bigger man in this situation and handling it with the utmost professionalism.

[bamani]

One of the reasons I personally find cannabis useful is to calm the stimulation from my tinnitus. Auditory issues and their different findings would be an awesome episode.

[SeleckPlays]

By the way, if you read the X thread, you'll find that this podcast started from a toxic string of comments including Dr. Hill's reply. The ability for Dr. Huberman to look past the way in which Dr. Hill initially responded to the thread gives me great respect for Dr. Huberman.

Personally, I don't understand how anything productive comes from X - the number of "people" (bots?) who are simply there to tear down Huberman's good faith hard work is astounding.

[shermanhoman]

I listen to this podcast twice on my commute to work. The information density was amazing. I do wish Hill wasn't so condescending, there is enough that we don't know about neurobiology. Huberman is a class act.