A former weed smoker has claimed that the habit used to ruin the complexion of his face and has shared before and after pictures since going clean showing a massive difference.
The American content creator often speaks to his followers about the negatives he used to experience when smoking the Class B drug, which many consider to be a 'safer' substance.
And with the likes of cocaine and heroin sitting in the Class A tier above it, you may think that cannabis has far fewer downsides than other substances - but studies have revealed that it can have detrimental effects on the brain.
Smoking it from an early age in particular can put you at risk of ruining the functionality of the vital organ as well, with the term 'cannabis soup' being thrown around by experts.
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You may only see the effects of weed years after you've been smoking it, with many former addicts speaking out in the past.
Patrick Merino, a YouTuber, is known for content about his own struggles with bad habits such as smoking cannabis and watching pornography.
His channel features a number of motivational videos about self-improvement and how he overcame all of his demons, claiming that weed smoking in particular 'messed up' his skin.
In a shocking video, the creator can be seen posting snaps of his face before and after he kicked the habit, with his acne being much more prominent in the first run of images before showing off his clear skin in a few sun-kissed pictures.
Patrick made a seven-minute video titled 'How weed messed up my face', further explaining why he thinks he experienced flare ups after smoking a joint.
He explained that prior to smoking, his pimples would be 'going away' but after smoking, he would look in the mirror and notice some big changes.
Recalling what he noticed had changed, Patrick said: "My pimples will start to have whiteheads and start to have the yellow pus forming into them. I'm like what the f***, why is this happening every single time I smoke?"
He said that it didn't matter if it he changed papers for joints, or if he smoked through a bong or a vape pen, the same result showed.
Adding that he'd done some research, he explained that when you're smoking, 'your pores start to open', allowing bacteria to enter your skin.
He noted that 'whether you're smoking or whether you're done smoking, and you wipe your head or wipe your face', it can have an impact on your complexion.
Does weed actually ruin your skin?
The claims sound outrageous, but according to Biology Insights, you can experience facial changes as a result of smoking the drug.
It all boils down to the involvement of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and its effects on the 'body's vascular and glandular systems'.
This is the primary psychoactive compound in cannabis, which brings on the 'high' feeling users get from using the drug.
It can result in bloodshot eyes, due to the compound lowering blood pressure, while also drying the mouth by inhibits the release of acetylcholine, which is necessary for stimulating saliva production.
These acute changes go away eventually, but when it comes to long-term effects, it is dependent on the method of consumption - whether it be smoking or ingesting the drug.
Smoking can lead to the breakdown of collagen and elastin, which maintain skin firmness and elasticity, leading to fine lines and wrinkles.
Patrick's claims are said to need 'further study' though, as the endocannabinoid system (ECS) regulates the production of sebum, the oily substance that lubricates the skin, and THC can mimic natural endocannabinoids with stronger effects.
Weed also contains cannabidiol (CBD) thoguh, which can inhibit 'the proliferation of sebocytes and reducing sebum production in laboratory models'.
It's suggested that cannabinoids may protect against conditions such as acne, but this is only linked with the topical use of specific cannabinoids, not smoking weed.
Joshua Nair