The neuroscience of pot

Researchers Explain Why Marijuana May Bring Serenity Or Psychosis
Alice G. Walton
Forbes (US)
Wednesday, January 11, 2012

cannabinoidsMarijuana has been shown to have both anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) effects and to induce anxiety and psychosis in certain people. In schizophrenics, it can increase symptoms, and in healthy people it can increase the risk of schizophrenia. Now, new study shows that the two active ingredients in pot, ?9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) may have quite opposite effects on the brain – and behavior – and could explain why pot’s effects can be unpredictable.