Cannabis Can Make the World a Better Place

Many challenges in our world stem from a lack of consideration of the profound interconnectedness between its inhabitants. Just think of the environmental crisis, social tensions, or fierce individualism that destroys our societies.

But there is hope.

Cannabis could be the keystone of a world where everyone helps each other. Scientific studies indicate that smoking cannabis makes you more lovable and more empathetic. Cannabis users are therefore more inclined than others to put their egos aside and worry about the fate of humanity as a whole. This is what our societies need.

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Cannabis Users Make for a Better World

Cannabis users have always been seen as quiet, friendly, and smiling. And cannabis indeed makes you happy and at peace with the world.

However, beyond these mostly anecdotal personal experiences, most research on the effects of cannabis use has focused on its negative consequences. Rare are the studies dedicated to the other psychological and behavioral effects induced by the consumption of this plant, even though people have used it for millennia in the four corners of the world.

However, mounting scientific evidence suggests that cannabis use makes you more empathetic and generally more pleasant. The latest of these studies is by researchers at the University of New Mexico (UNM). Entitled “Cannabis use and psychosociality” and published in the journal “Scientific Reports” in May 2022, it sheds a fascinating light on the emotional and behavioral world of cannabis users.

The researchers studied the cases of 146 students between 18 and 25 years of age. They first measured their tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) levels using urine tests. Then, each participant followed a series of psychological tests and questionnaires to assess their “moral foundations,” a term designating schematically the ideal-types that allow us to judge everything as being good or bad morally.

The authors noticed that cannabis users showed more empathy, morality, and prosocial behaviors when making decisions. In other words, the behaviors that make for better citizens of the world. On the other hand, non-consumers had lower scores. There is, therefore, a causal link between these “positive” behaviors and cannabis use.

Ego and Empathy in the World

Empathy, the ability to put yourself in other people’s shoes to see things from their perspective, has long been a cornerstone of cannabis culture. Although most users cannot explain it, many feel a tenfold love for themselves and others in the world while under the influence of cannabis. So it’s no wonder that cannabis enthusiasts have no trouble being kind and sympathetic.

Other studies provide a fascinating insight into how these transformations occur in our bodies. Cannabis use affects the regulation and processing of emotions and psychological responses. Since it reduces our reactions to stress, this plant allows us, so to speak, to see the world more peacefully and to make decisions less affected by our ego.

In itself, the ego is not a bad thing. It is also one of the elements that have ensured the survival of the human species in the past. Some animals also show ego in various forms. Nevertheless, an under or oversized ego generally leads to problems for oneself (depression, etc.) and for the rest of the world. Finding the balance between our needs and those of others is possible thanks to empathy. And cannabis could be the key to the area of ​​the brain responsible for this beautiful faculty.

Cannabis, a Supermedicine for Body and Mind

The study mentioned initially could lead to an evolution of several medical treatments. Opiates, for example, can cause emotional upheaval and antisocial behavior. Cannabis, on the other hand, improves sociability and can be very effective against pain, usually treated with opiates.

Therefore, the psychologists hope this study will encourage further global research in this area. Prosociality is indeed essential to the cohesion and general vitality of a society. However, the positive effects of cannabis on our interactions with others in the world and on general social well-being seem such that they may exceed in importance the plant’s therapeutic effects.

Therefore, cannabis deserves the title of “super drug,” especially compared to most conventional drugs. Indeed, it effectively treats the symptoms of a wide range of illnesses (which is moreover in a fast and relatively safe way), and it can also contribute to improving psychosocial health, and thus the world.

Self-Production as a Social Demand

 In addition, the self-production of cannabis is a rewarding process that contributes to personal development and great connectedness with the world. Embarking on cultivation means embarking on an initiatory path with many learnings, from choosing the cannabis seed to testing various cultivation methods. This whole allows the weaving of strong links with the plant. It has also been demonstrated that caring for another living being generates positive effects.

Every cannabis plant starts with a seed. Cannabis seed banks like Kannabia Seed Company have a great responsibility as global guardians of the genetic heritage of cannabis, as activists demanding the normalization of the use of this plant, and as popularizers disseminating its capacity to improve people’s lives.

The Role of Entheogenic Substances in Our Perception of the World

Cannabis is one of the oldest entheogenic substances known to humanity. This term refers to a substance of plant origin inducing a higher state of consciousness likely to bring about a profound change in world view in whoever consumes it. It is therefore not surprising that it has always been used for spiritual and religious reasons.

Nowadays, the use of entheogens is increasing. Cannabis is the most popular and accessible of these due to its legalization in many parts of the world. Its use opens up the mystic experience and is likely to reduce the rampant egocentrism in our world.

This “dissolution of the ego” results in a heightened, more direct, and intense awareness of the world around us. Cannabis could therefore lead men to stop constantly thinking about themselves in favor of certain disinterestedness and a more profound sense of responsibility towards the world and its inhabitants. This is something that our societies need.

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(Featured image by Porapak Apichodilok via Pexels)

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