This article was originally published on Psychedelic Spotlight and appears here with permission.
High doses of cannabis can cause hallucinations and otherworldly experiences, but is marijuana a psychedelic? Here are some facts
Is marijuana a psychedelic? The short answer is, kind of. It depends on who you ask, and what definition of “psychedelic” you are using.
For such a simple question, there isn’t a simple answer. That’s because we don’t have a universally accepted definition for what exactly constitutes a psychedelic.
In short, there are two competing definitions, and the one you decide to use will determine whether weed is a psychedelic.The first is more scientific. Simply put, you decide whether a compound is “psychedelic” by seeing which brain receptors the molecule binds with. If a drug binds with specific serotonin receptors in the brain, the 5-HT2A receptors, it is considered a psychedelic. If it does not, then it is not a psychedelic.
So, based on this definition, is pot a psychedelic?
No.
Based on the serotonin receptor definition of psychedelics, marijuana is not a psychedelic. Marijuana, or more accurately the molecule THC, primarily binds with cannabinoid receptors in the brain, CB1 and CB2. That being said, there is at least one study in mice showing that the THC molecule may interact with the 5-HT2A receptors —leading to negative consequences such as memory impairment. So, perhaps with more study marijuana can be considered a psychedelic using…
