One of the most famous side effects of smoking Cannabis is feeling very hungry. But this hunger isn’t just the usual stomach growling.

What are the Munchies?

If you’ve ever smoked or eaten cannabis, you’ve probably felt the “munchies” soon after getting high. The munchies are a strong feeling of hunger that happens after using THC oil or other cannabis products.

Some think you only get the munchies from smoking cannabis, but that’s not true. You can feel it after eating gummies, drinking an infused beverage, or eating baked goods with cannabis.

In short, Cannabis makes food seem really appealing. Even if you’re full, cannabis can make your brain think you’re hungry. That’s why some cannabis products are suggested for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

How do Normal Hunger Signals Work?

While stomach growls indicate hunger, it’s actually your brain that manages it. This process involves complex chemical signals between your brain and body.

Just talking about food can trigger neurotransmitters in your hypothalamus and make you feel hungry. When your blood sugar drops, the hormone ghrelin rises, signaling neurons in your hypothalamus to tell your brain that you need to eat. Once you’re full, the hormone leptin tells your brain to stop eating.

How Does Cannabis Affect Your Sense of Hunger?

Cannabis affects your body in a special way. The THC in cannabis makes food smell, taste, and seem super delicious. That’s why it’s hard to resist snacking after smoking weed or using a THC product.

Cannabis is believed to stimulate the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in your body. The ECS has many cannabinoid receptors and affects things like sleep, hunger, and mood.

THC interacts with the CB1 receptors in your main olfactory bulb, enhancing your sense of smell and boosting your appetite. CB1 receptors are known to increase appetite and encourage eating.

It’s important to note that THC doesn’t actually make you hungry; it just makes you feel hungry. The cravings after using cannabis are more of an illusion.

Additionally, THC can interfere with the signals that tell your brain you’re full, making it harder to control hunger. While the processes in your brain and body are complex, it’s easy to feel hungry when using cannabis.

Why Does Weed Make Food Taste So Good?

THC is great at boosting hunger and making food taste amazing. When you eat junk foods like doughnuts, burgers, or cookies, your brain releases dopamine, the “feel-good” hormone. Cannabis increases dopamine even more, enhancing the flavors of your favorite foods.

This rush of dopamine can make it hard for some people to feel full and stop eating.

Does Cannabis Cause Weight Gain?

There isn’t much research on how cannabis affects weight, and the existing studies have mixed results.

Some observational studies found no link between cannabis and weight gain, while some clinical trials found a connection to weight gain. However, researchers noticed that cannabis users tend to have lower obesity rates compared to non-users. This might be because cannabinoids like CBD could help regulate insulin levels.

Besides this, CBD is also used in pain-relieving products, like topical roll-ons, which include other soothing ingredients like menthol, arnica, MSM, and essential oils.

Cannabis itself doesn’t cause weight gain; it just makes you feel hungry. If you’re worried about the munchies, keep healthy snacks around and try to avoid sugary treats, no matter how tempting they are.

How Long do the Munchies Last?

Eating your favorite foods can be a lot of fun with cannabis, but the effects will eventually wear off. The duration of your munchies depends on factors like genetics and metabolism.

How you consume cannabis plays a big role too. The strength and absorption rate, which vary by consumption method, largely determine appetite stimulation.

If you smoke cannabis, you’ll feel the effects quickly, but they typically last only a couple of hours. On the other hand, if you eat cannabis, it takes a few hours for the munchies to start.

Usually, the munchies will go away after a few hours.

Final Words

If you plan on enjoying your favorite THC products, make sure to have your favorite snacks close by or get DoorDash ready. That’s the best way to handle the “munchies!”