5 Reasons Why Weed Makes You Laugh
Article written by
Ruth LemonVP of Operations
Content reviewed by
Dr. Lewis JasseyMedical Director - Pediatric Medicine
Sometimes it can feel impossible to stop or control your laughter when using marijuana. If you experience this effect while consuming cannabis, you are not alone. Many users report cases of non-stop laughing or giggling. This includes laughing at things that don’t normally appear funny.
Understanding why weed makes you laugh so much could enable you to find a way to overcome it. Or perhaps this effect doesn’t bother you, but you are curious to know why it happens. Here are the main reasons you may break out in a laughing fit after smoking or consuming weed.
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THC
The main compound in weed that makes you laugh is a cannabinoid called THC, and if you use a cannabis strain with a high THC content, you are more likely to giggle.
THC makes you laugh by interacting with the endocannabinoid system. This internal body system consists of receptors on the surface of cells that can interact with THC.
These receptors are present throughout the central nervous system, and some are located in brain areas associated with mood. When THC binds to these receptors, it causes a biological response. Sometimes, this biological response can affect your mood. For example, it can boost your mood and make you happy. As a result, you may feel high and start giggling.
Also, while not as likely to induce laughter, other cannabinoids in weed, such as CBD, could make you laugh, depending on how you respond to their calming and relaxing effects. Cannabis can also heighten mood, so if you are already in the mood to laugh and use cannabis, you may end up laughing more than usual.
It’s a Reflex
Some claim that the laughter linked to weed is like a reflex. So, as soon as the effects kick in, a reflex-like mechanism is activated, making people laugh.
As mentioned earlier, compounds in cannabis, like THC, can interact with your brain in areas associated with mood regulation. Therefore, weed can make you laugh even when there is nothing funny to laugh about.
That’s because it’s altering your state of mind, creating a reflex to laugh. As a result, users often notice that they are laughing at something they wouldn’t typically laugh at when they are not using weed.
Many users also claim that the reflex is uncontrollable. Therefore, it just happens instantly and can be difficult to stop.
It Might Make You More Social
When used in a social setting with friends or acquaintances, the compounds in weed, such as THC and CBD, can make people feel more comfortable and relaxed. As a result, you may find that people at your social gathering are happier and laughing amongst themselves.
Therefore, weed can make you laugh more by enhancing a social situation because it helps people have a good time, talk, and express themselves more freely. From this, everyone is more likely to share funny stories or life experiences, making the group laugh.
Overall, weed is well known for easing social situations, especially for those who suffer from social anxiety. Hence, it not only helps people to laugh but also helps users to talk with others in a large social group without their usual worries or anxieties.
You Use Cannabis with Alcohol
When used recreationally, weed is sometimes consumed alongside alcohol. Because of this, alcohol can interact with weed, lowering inhibitions and possibly making some people more prone to laughter.
Some people find that alcohol alone is enough to make them laugh. However, when paired with weed, this effect could increase or alter how you would typically respond to weed without alcohol.
That’s because alcohol is also known for making people feel at ease during social situations. Therefore, these effects could become more prominent when it’s taken with weed, enabling people to connect with one another or laugh amongst themselves.
Other substances could also interact with weed to alter its effects. However, mixing weed with alcohol and other drugs is not recommended because adverse effects may also occur as a result of this.
You’re Using a Different Strain
Different strains (cultivars) of weed are known to have varying effects. You may notice that one strain makes you laugh, whereas another strain does not. For example, the best strains for excessive laughter (“giggly strains”) include Blue Diesel, OG Kush, and Laughing Buddha.
Some strains make you laugh more than others because different strains have varying quantities and combinations of cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids. So depending on the type and quantities of the cannabinoids present, some strains have the ability to make you laugh more than others.
If you notice that a particular strain makes you laugh and enjoy the effects, you may want to take note of that strain. While some people find the laughter annoying or excessive, others find it offers something extra or a good way to unwind.
The Bottom Line
Cannabis strains, which are high in THC, are more likely to make you laugh. That’s because THC can interact with the brain and change your mood. Hence, it can make you feel high and more giggly than usual.
However, there are other aspects of weed, such as its effects when mixed with alcohol or the fact that it can enhance social settings. These aspects also affect how weed makes you laugh more than usual.
Overall, there’s a complex mechanism behind why THC and cannabis contribute to laughter. We do not know all the ins and outs of why cannabis and THC can induce a good laugh, and more research is needed.
But if you find the laughter too excessive, you could try avoiding alcohol with weed or switch to a different strain.
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