An unsettling simulation has exposed what could happen to your body if you smoke weed every day.
While Snoop Dogg might sing about it like it's nothing to worry about, and he's probably the man who knows most about it, there can be a lot of health risks associated with marijuana.
Of course, other drugs in society, such as cocaine and ketamine, get more of a bad reputation when we think about their dangers, with cannabis often seen to be far 'safer', particularly in the many countries and US states where it has been legalised.
However, moderation is the key to enjoying nearly everything, and smoking weed regularly could lead to potential problems in your heart, lungs and brain.
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A simulation from Dr Boogie on TikTok has collated data from various scientific studies to sum up the health issues that could arise if you become dependent or addicted to the Class B drug and smoke it every day.
Changes to the structure of the brain
The video states: "THC binds to the brain receptors causing short-term euphoria and altered perception."
When cannabis is smoked daily, a person's tolerance to it increases, meaning they need more of it to experience the same effect and high.
This can prompt 'potential changes in memory and learning areas'.
A 2022 Harvard study found that long-term cannabis users' IQs declined by 5.5 points since childhood, and they also had smaller hippocampi (the area of the brain responsible for memory and learning).
It concluded that cannabis caused greater cognitive impairment than alcohol or tobacco use.
Healthline adds: "In people younger than 25 years, whose brains haven’t yet fully developed, long-term cannabis use can have a lasting detrimental impact on thinking and memory processes."
In 2024, the Office for National Statistics found that 13.8 percent of people aged 16 to 24 reported smoking cannabis within the last year.
Social anxiety
The video goes on to say that lighting up every day can increase the risk of dependency and anxiety.
A 2024 study found that people who were hospitalised because of cannabis were 3.7 times more likely to be hospitalised again within three years because of an anxety disorder.
This could be due to the way cannabis use produces changes in the brain.
THC, the psychoactive substance in cannabis, stimulates the amygdala - a crucial emotional processing centre in the brain, particularly important for detecting threats.
Another study found that people who smoked weed regularly as teenagers experienced accelerated thinning of the prefrontal cortex in the brain, which made their behaviour more impulsive.
Psychosis
The simulation also notes that long-term cannabis use can increase the likelihood of psychosis symptoms.
A 2024 study by King's College, London, found that people who smoked weed daily, and in particular smoked cannabis with a high THC content, were particularly at risk.
Lead author Professor Marta di Forti wrote: "These are important findings at a time of increasing use and potency of cannabis worldwide.
"Our study indicates that daily users of high potency cannabis are at increased risk of developing psychosis independently from their [genetic risk of] schizophrenia."
Impact on lungs
It's not just your brain that will supposedly suffer, however, as the video goes on to explain how your lung health will decline due to excessive smoking, much in the same way that smoking tobacco or vaping might.
You are likely to develop symptoms such as 'chronic cough, increased phlegm, bronchitis symptoms and higher airway inflammation similar to tobacco effects in heavy users'.
The American Lung Association writes that marijuana smoke injures the cell linings of the large airways in the lungs.
Impact on heart
Doctors and studies have previously suggested that excessive cannabis use can increase your chances of heart disease or stroke.
One study found that cannabis users younger than 50 were six times more likely to suffer a heart attack compared to non-users.
The simulation adds that the impact of weed can 'vary widely by genetic, age of start and amount,' noting the effects are 'dose dependent' and 'often worse with heavy use'.
Fortunately, it seems as if things will quickly improve if you do decide to stop, but then it's all about managing withdrawal symptoms and keeping yourself healthy, if you want to avoid the long-term health issues associated with such excessive drug use.
If you want friendly, confidential advice about drugs, you can talk to FRANK. You can call 0300 123 6600, text 82111 or contact through their website 24/7, or livechat from 2pm-6pm any day of the week.
James Moorhouse