I have used it for chronic pain for years now. Truth is, it doesn't actually make the pain go away. It makes it easier for me to ignore the pain. That is enough.

Smoking a joint watching Sabine Hossenfelder, a prominent physicist, talk pragmatically about weed. What a time to be alive.

Psilocybin saved my life. I was addicted to heroin for 15 years and after Psilocybin treatment I will be 3 years clean in September. I have zero cravings. This is something that truly needs to be more broadly used in addiction treatment.

I've been stoned basically for 45 years, with a couple short breaks. I'm 60, in perfect health, mentally and physically, two advanced degrees. Although I switched to an herbal vaporizer about 10 years ago.

The most reasonable argument over cannabis being a "gateway drug" has been that, because of cannabis' illegality, people were having to buy it from dealers who were quite likely to be ready to sell them other drugs too - so legalisation could actually negate that effect. Certainly, in my experience, if people have to break the law to do something that seems relatively innocuous to them, it puts them over a threshold where breaking laws seems less of a big deal. So criminalising innocuous recreational behaviour seems like a huge own goal... unless the intent is to fill up your prisons... which in some countries it absolutely is.

My son is severely handicapped man, he was on synthetic medications and the side effects are horrible. He has been on cannabis now for 5 months and doing amazing . I am so happy with how it is helping him sleep and helping his OCD and anxiety

16:35 A side factor that’s missed when examining the increase in marijuana use is that, at the same time interval heavy alcohol use decreased drastically. From 2017 to 2021, heavy alcohol use in Canada dropped from 19.5% to 15.6. And this was not a trend as the number had increased from 17.9 since 2014. This provides evidence for a reverse correlation between marijuana and heavy alcohol use.

My experience with marijuana is mixed. On the positive, it has improved my emotional stability and that effect is long term. I never lose my temper, never get paranoid, never get jealous, and I'm a very chill person, even after going long periods of time without marijuana. When I get high, I feel the urge to go for a walk or bike ride for the duration of the high. Short term effects involve improving my focus and creativity, but that only works on things that I'm passionate about. I tend to not care about my obligations when high. That's why I've given up marijuana for the time being. But you are right about the addictive properties. But it's not an addiction like tobacco or alcohol. I used to experience the insomnia and loss of appetite when putting the weed down. But strangely, I don't experience those symptoms anymore when I come off a binge. Currently, my only withdrawal symptom is the general desire to use, missing the relaxing experience. My best analogy for marijuana addiction is more like a videogame addiction.

It's legal here in Alaska and personal use was protected before that. Big deal, people pretty quickly stop caring and it just becomes normal.

Thank you for this level-headed, fact-based exposition. I really appreciate it.

"By 2030, Australia will turn into a big bong". I couldn't stop laughing for about ten minutes. Sabine's humor absolutely makes me crack up.

Dr. Hossenfelder - I just wanted to pass along that I get so into your videos that the little sprinkles of humor you include always catch me off-guard and result in a belly laugh. Thank you for all of the information you provide and the clever humor you treat us to now and again.

I'm 63. I was a pothead when I was 18. I gave it up in my 30s because it gave me anxiety. Now the state I live in (NJ in the USA) legalized it for reecreational use and we have stores you can buy it from. I still get anxiety if I do more than a hit or two, so I only take a hit on some nights because it does help me sleep. While I don't smoke it like I used to, the pothead in me does a little Snoopy dance whenever I go into the store to buy some. One thing I do know is that even though it was illegal for a long time, it was still pervasive and easy to get, so since it doesn't seem to be any more destructive than alcohol (Prohibition in the USA did NOT work and was rescinded), may as well keep it legal and stop spending billions of dollars punishing people for using it.

My take on the "gateway drug" thing is this. Say you're 19 and away at university. You've been told by all authorities your whole life that marijuana is bad and will make you into a fiend and an addict. But your uni friends convince you to try it. And it's fun! And it doesn't make you a fiend or an addict. You start to wonder, what else have all the authorities my whole life been lying to me about?

Well done witty and informative , 61 years since my first joint at 15 ! Still Cruisin

I've had my high CBD/low THC cannabis tincture which lessens my anhedonia from depression just enough to appreciate Sabine's dry, German humor. Danke Frau Hossenfelder.

I'm Dutch, so it's been easily available for decades here. I quit just a few weeks ago after several years of use. In my opinion, it is very important to inform the youth very well about the risks. The brain keeps developing until the age of 23, and smoking before that age is not smart. Some people are more sensitive to THC than others, and they are more at risk of negative side effects, like psychoses. There are some advantages, to those who use it for medical use (CBD) and to whom regular medical drugs are not available or don't work properly. Thanks for raising awareness. 🙏

Watching an intelligent person such as yourself talk in such lengths about a plant I routinely use to become as stupid as possible is hilarious in a way I've yet to encounter. Thank you, Sabine.

I don't know what the situation is like in other countries, but in Brazil, where cannabis is illegal (even for most medicinal uses), prohibition is a big obstacle for researchers that want to study its effects and possible uses. That's something to take into consideration when talking about the poor quality of research on the plant. I wish Sabine had mentioned this!

I'm 72 years of age and have been using MM all of my life. My grandparents knew the medicinal properties of both Sativa and Indica. Indica is a sedative whereas Sativa is a stimulate. You use cannabis in various ways depending upon your situation . I remember the cannabis plants in the garden, the care in growing, harvesting, curing,storing and use. We OWN 65 acres of deep rural land, have 5 various types of vehicles ,heat our home with wood heat ,grow a lot of our own food and meat. We are in excellent health for our age and I haven't seen a doctor in 3 years. [ That was for a routine physical required by the V A in order to stay active in their system.] I started drinking coffees from a baby bottle when I was 18 months old with sugar and canned milk. So, having used cannabis and coffees all of my life there is very little you can tell me about the effects of either substance. Bottom line, " Don't try blowing bad smoke up this old smokers butt ". By the way, LSD was my very first encounter with any form of drugs followed by coke. There's a world of difference between use and abuse.

Smoking a joint with Sabine is a life goal, honestly.

As an avid user of this plant, I would like to heavily applaud your unbiased research. The good, the bad, all of it spot on despite some of us not wanting to believe the bad.

I've heard so many wonderful things about magic mushrooms but I can't easily get some, Is there any realiable source I can purchase from??

Great review. The adverse effects of criminalization should not be overlooked; the consequences of law enforcement for users can be really bad for many, many people.

As a non smoker. We legalized it in my state... ...the people that were smoking BEFORE legalization, were the same people smoking AFTER legalization. There wasn't some "big wave" of new people smoking...

I smoke weed once in half a year when I need a change of perspective in dealing with my life problems... whether it is about a random task like lawsuit, real estate transaction, about research topic, about my social anxiety, about procrastination, or about my relationship skill... I find the change of perspective from weed is overwhelmingly beneficial for taking a step back and figuring out solutions to your life problems.

The deadpan humor and the accent. Perfect.

Thanks for taking the time to create this free information!

Your dry jokes combined with your clearly top shelf research gets a sub from me. Love it. Thanks

I started using when I was about 20 myself. I had been diagnosed with ADHD and every medication I had been prescribed I had some sort of negative effect. I tried around 8-9 different medications and my doctor even got me to try some anti-psychotic since those too have been reported to help with ADHD as well. Marajuana just kinda works for me. It tones down the super hyper active part of the brain but doesn't just completely shut it off like the other medication. It's more so like I can stop and actually think about things rather than impulsively do them without second thought. It doesn't kill my appetite as a big problem with all the medication I would try is that my appetite would be completely gone, even hours after the medication would wear off too. I would sometimes go days without eating as I would feel physically ill if I did otherwise. It's helped me keep a stable job, maintain stable relationships, and I actually can do my household chores, something that was basically impossible for me otherwise. Plus, I'm still a lightweight. It usually cost me at most 20 dollars a month, much cheaper than the medication I had prior.

This was incredibly informative and hilarious. Thank you for this.

I love your channel! no screaming, sirens, or flashing lights! just great explanations for everyone. Thank you for explaining things that we can all get.

One of the most ridiculous things about the war on drugs is the defunding and banning of scientific research surrounding them. Here's hoping we develop knowledge. On the other hand, misuse of drugs will always exist in society until we develop public, universal and solid mental health services.

Addiction and tolerance are different. Tolerance can happen without addiction.

Enjoyed your video! Very informative without being stuffy! 😊

I love your sense of humor ! You go girl !!

Something anecdotal I'd say as someone who didn't use until my 40's after it became legal where I live, is that it can be great as something used sparingly in the right manner. I find that a single 10mg gummy once every week or two really helps any stress or anxiety that builds up over time. Even if it is dulling my brainpower, I'd say it still is a net benefit because I'm not dealing with anywhere near as much stress as I was before. I've had a much brighter outlook on life and have been more productive overall. Also, thinking about theoretical physics and other fascinating subjects after taking a gummy is very fun. I basically watch a bunch of science videos on nights I have a gummy. Also microscopic videos, because it is fun to go from thinking about the physics of things, then watch electricity power life forces in tiny organisms, and just kind of ponder how it all works together. I haven't said "far out man" yet, but some of the fictional portrayals are a bit accurate. :p

came here for the weed, stayed for the science. Great content

Everyone i knew who smoked cannabis growing up ended up being really paranoid about stupid things.

I love your sense of humor. I find myself cracking up multiple times while I watch your videos. You are entertaining as well as informative. And yes, I'm SUBSCRIBED. Actually I'm a middle aged gentleman (of 63) and I smoke weed all day, every day. I'm convinced it helps to keep myself healthy. I'm the ONLY one in 3 generations of my family, that still doesn't need glasses. I take 0 medications (other than weed) and I still exercise daily and eat right. My goal is to live to 120 and then silently pass away in my sleep....no notice....no symptoms....just go to sleep and cross over into who knows what. Keep the videos coming. Thank You.

I haven't unalived myself because my state of Colorado has had it legally available to me since I got back from Afghanistan for the final time in 2014. I am a high functioning engineer who uses it 3-4 times per week. Makes life way better and I am on no other meds.

I love your pop culture jokes. The most important part of legalization for me is that you can go in to a store and get expert advice based on your experience. This is impossible otherwise. Lots of people smoke or eat too much because they are more sensitive than the others in the group they are in. Like all drugs and medicines, each individual has particular sensitivities and reactions that needs to be taken into consideration.

this is gold. great editing btw. great humor btw.

I love your sense of humor, Ms Sabine. I had 2 be listening to catch it! So from that you got my fanship! Love

This is pure anecdote but I had an aunt that used cannabis products to treat the nausea and loss of appetite she was experiencing as a side effect of chemotherapy. It worked well for her. And this is pretty consistent with the well known effect of recreational cannabis use on appetite.

Not being on medication for panic attacks and being more alive and present is a gift. Never been better in my life.

IMO, increasing numbers are from less fear in reporting use, stronger pot and increased (excessive) use by younger people who don't know the effects. Thanks for covering this Sabine, cheers from Canada. In Canada we can grow 4 plants, must be under a meter(but they don't say tall, wide, square, cube. don't know if anyone has been charged). In 1st year grew 5, last year 2. Each time planted 8, when they got too tall I broke the top and tied it down but didn't remove it. Harvest time was when snow came, they seem quite frost hardy.

Excellent summary. Thank you.

I always watch your videos when they come up. I love how you research, give your interpretation, and encourage others to make their own interpretation

Love how unbiased you are and how you note reasoning behind the causes.

I always admire your content, creativity and style. Yet another excellent video. Thanks for sharing your class and intelligence.

I love your knowledge and your humor. Great job

One of my main reasons for wanting it decriminalized is that whatever its effects, it's simply not worth people - especially young men - getting arrested for it and ending up with a criminal record that could easily effect the rest of their life, and it's also not worth incarcerating anyone because that can really mess up your life.

i don't think legalization of cannabis leading to a rapid increase in cannabis related hospitalisation is necessarily a bad thing, considering that people would be scared to go to the hospital because they have a bad reaction to an illegal drug, so this could just be that people are actually seeking medical aid when they wouldn't have before.

Thank you. Your presentation and the information you convey are very good. Your dry sense of humor is terrific!

Instant subscription :) ! Genuinely, thank you for the education 💜

"They breed out the males regardless of their preferred pronouns" "Seeing the origin of the word I'm somewhat surprised no ones tried to cancel it" (Oops someone tried) "If we extrapolate this trend, by 2030 australia will turn into a huge bong." You're killing it with the subtle humor!!

Thank you for all the review on this. I think it's important to have a sober look at all of the evidence because Much of the discourse Has not actually focused on what the data is telling us currently

sabine dein humor is einfach weltklasse

Sabine, ❤ the little jokes you toss into the mix! And your reporting is top notch 💯 Also, a huge thank you for not adding a background music track while you're talking, educating us.

Here in Canada they legalized, not much happened, gouverment cornered the market and now gets tax revenue.

i love this video, and the pointed sarcastic quips. keep them coming!

I have had MS for 20 years this year on October 10th. Weed is my only medication that works for the MS. I think you should try it because it is an amazing thing and it helps so many people. Give her a hit

Speaking as a Canadian weed smoker since i was 16, i'd like to point out a couple things from my experience: 1) anecdotally, as a teen, when weed was illegal and alcohol was legal, it was WAY easier to get my hands on pot and also more likely the weed was laced with something harder, so part of what i think is good about our legalization is that it's controlled above board so it's very clear what you're getting and probably, honestly, may make it harder (and perhaps also less desirable, if it's less of a taboo/rebel symbol) for teens to access, and 2) because i have had a personal interest in the health effects being studied over time as it became less taboo to study, i have often noticed the "low intake" category of smokers is usually a joint a day, which to me personally sounds like a LOT of weed, so i have often wondered how relevant the studies are for people actually smoke far less than that. I mean, for alcohol, it's often asked as how much drinks per week, as comparison. I haven't take a close look at all studies, but just something i've noticed as these studies come up in the news.

I wonder how much the hospitalisation number is inflated. I had an unrelated issue that the doctor wanted to blame on marijuana use. As soon as he found out I regularly smoked marijuana he wouldn't really listen to my problems. At least the ultrasound showed I had a real problem.

Love it! Nice talk with nice humor!

Love your presentation style!

I love watching your videos. You break down complicated subjects into something that is easily digestible while also not glossing over the important facts that support the understanding.

I have smoked for 50 years, I never become addicted. :)

We haven't addressed the point of how using too much is what causes issues. Studies have found that for cancer patients, optimal dosage is around 50mg THC per day. (Meanwhile a single mj joint is a bit above 100mg!) More than that, more is needed for the same effects and it adds to the negative side effects. Like any medicine, there's a sweet spot of positive effects vs side effects.

I love listening to your videos, relaxing and informational

Forever thankful you for Sabine, and you’re endless fight to provide unbiased informational videos for us here on KZfaq.

I have a severe panic disorder and thanks to this I don't wake up in the middle of the night in piss and sweat anymore, got a decent job and gained 15 pounds.

🙏 Thank You So Much Prof Sabine for the informative & entertaining illumination on the Pros & Cons of using Marijuana ... 🌷🌿🌎💜🕊

Great info bout that Kush we all love. Wish I can be able to grow more than 4 plants where am from ! Keep up the good work Sabine ☺️

I came for the science and stayed for the hilarious sarcasm. Love your videos

Hi Sabine, interesting topic and one I have studied a bit, starting in college. I am currently a retired geophysicist. My story: math was jealous when I fell in love with a girl. First year of calculus, got a B. She broke my heart second year, aced differential equations and started smoking cannabis. Boundary value, linear math & calculus of variation were a blur, didn’t do so well but managed to pass them. I had no problem with geology, easy A’s and geophysics was much more understandable than calculus, although I didn’t get deconvolution till after I started working as a geophysicist interpreting seismic data. Putting geology onto the seismic profiles was much easier after one toke on the bong. Two hits and I just stared at the profiles. Depth conversion and volumetric calculations were never attempted while under the influence. Visualization of tectonic forces seemed easier under a moderate influence. Now that I’m retired and I don’t have to worry about calculus but it sometimes surprises me what I can remember although I haven’t been able to figure out de Sitter space.

These are great, smart humor and topics are worth watching

Love the humorous date presentation 👍🏼

I love how truly informative you are!! So many people focus so much on opinion

16:26 I am a young adult woman and I began buying and using THC products on a regular basis only when they became legal locally. I was wholly uncomfortable with buying on the black market for many reasons, but one of them was just personal safety. I can’t simply go alone to meet up with some random friend-of-a-friend, you know? Everyone’s social circle is different, but for me, buying was kind of an ordeal that I just didn’t care to initiate. Now that recreational use is legal in my area, I’m grateful for how easy it is to just go to the dispensary and purchase it like any other product.

Thank u such a nuanced views on the topic

Enjoyed your video and presentation very much, the "accidental" pot hole pun made me giggle like a school boy!! Great stuff

I didn't smoke for decades after college. I've had debilitating migraines since early elementary school. The year before I started smoking again I probably averaged 3 migraines per week that would cause me to withdraw to a dark, quiet room for several hours due to the pain. Last year I had 3 such migraines. I'm not a daily user, just a couple of times a month, but I know what it feels like in the morning to know I'm going to need to shut down completely that afternoon. And that almost never happens anymore. There's nothing quite like having fierce symptoms, like a spot of sunshine on a piece of paper being a painful reminder anywhere in my field of vision, knowing it may last for hours, then to take one drag and two minutes later the pain is gone, not masked, gone and does not come back for days or weeks. The strongest side effects (being the "high" euphoria,) will last for an hour and I don't really enjoy being in public at that time, but I also don't mind using the hour for personal time, for things that don't require decision making essentially, just like I don't make decisions after a glass of wine.

Finally, a physicist’s stance on a sociological and medical issue

Brilliant Sabine !!!

The humor is impeccable.

As a professional grow and cultivation specialist, I appreciate your in depth coverage!

In the Netherlands they have done an experiment with driving while under influence of cannabis. Only when really high doses administered the driving got a little bit bad as the people involved got distracted more easily but as they also drove slower there was less risk involved (in contrary to alcohol where people get overconfident about their driving and drive faster).

I'm finally glad a video on PURE FACTS was made on this. I find all of them interesting, and I can't see how this develops as time goes on.

Hi Sabine, your videos are wonderful, clear and always make me smile :) could you clarify what you mean by 'accidentally overdose'? I think it could be misleading xo

Your dead pan delivery is absolutely awesome! Second only to your science facts/ theory explanations !

Theres a huge problem with many studies of marijuana use, at least in the US that because its still illegal on the federal level, its still very difficult to get quality data. Relying on data from hospitals for example is really unreliable because it comes from self-reporting from patients (who may not want to disclose about non-marijuana drug use) or from testing that can easily overlook other causes, including other chemicals. Where marijuana is still illegal, its very common to find street marijuana laced with other drugs, increasingly synthetic drugs that may not show up in tests. Speaking for myself, Im a social worker and run into issues with flawed self reporting all the time, I cant tell you how often Im told "I only use weed" and it turns out theyre using other drugs as well or have mental health issues they dont want to talk about. Ive gotten to know some clients well who appear to have been able to use marijuana to help them overcome mental health problems and even other addiction issues but its only possible to get anecdotal evidence to support claims like this for now.

You are fun to listen to Sabine!

I am Canadian. The illegal marijuana trade has seen Fentanol introduced to the drug, leading to many deaths, particularly amongst young people. In that sense, a regulated, controlled, legal production is saving lives, re- directing funds from the black market directly into government funds. Medically, I completely agree with this video. So the discussion is an important one. I smoke pot, and I dont really have a firm point of view on the matter, but personally, I have have been using it for depression, however, now Im considering giving it up completely.

Sabine, to me you are a living legend. Thank you for making these informative and witty videos, you make learning about science fun🙂

I really enjoyed Sabine's humor and unvarnished, honest delivery of facts, where we know them. My personal experience is that people that are habitual users of cannabis, alcohol and similar drugs are often afflicted by psychological problems before they developed the habit: especially anxiety, depression and manic-depression. Hiding behind drugs does not solve their problem and often makes it much worse.

Funny and educative! Love it!

Thank you Sabine 🤠

I noticed that you mentioned the term “overdose,” as in “more likely to overdose from edibles” in the video; however, it is not the most appropriate term there, as overdose from marijuana is virtually impossible as one would need to consume more marijuana than their respective body weight.