New brain scans reveal how mixing the two alters mood and addiction chemistry
If you’re one of the millions of people who mix tobacco with cannabis, in a joint, a blunt, or a vape, your brain may be doing more than catching a buzz. It might be reprogramming its own chemistry for stress, pleasure, and addiction.
A new McGill University study found that people who use both tobacco and cannabis show striking differences in brain activity compared to those who use cannabis alone. Specifically, they have higher levels of a brain enzyme that breaks down anandamide, the so-called “bliss molecule” that helps regulate mood, stress, and emotional balance.
In short, more enzyme means less bliss.