Does marijuana produce serotonin?

Dear A very concerned boyfriend,  

Kudos to you for being attentive towards how your girlfriend copes with stress. To answer your question, no, marijuana doesn’t directly produce serotonin. However, marijuana can have similar effects to serotonin on the brain, like improving mood. Marijuana can also impact anxiety and depression, but these effects vary depending on several factors like your age and how often you use the substance. Read on to learn more about the impact of marijuana and the similarities and differences it has with antidepressants. 

How do marijuana and serotonin affect the brain?   

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter—think of it as a chemical messenger in the brain. Serotonin affects emotional processing and mood. It also has a substantial impact on anxiety and depressive disorders. Marijuana (also called cannabis or weed) is a plant that, when ingested (usually smoked), has mind-altering effects on the brain. Marijuana attaches to the same receptors as serotonin in the same chemical pathways, affecting people’s mood. Most people who smoke marijuana experience mood-elevating or calming effects, which can lead many people, such as your girlfriend, to self-medicate with it.  

Does age influence the effects marijuana can have? 

The effects of marijuana can be different depending on your age. Typically, people between the ages of 13 and 20 are more likely than adults to become addicted to marijuana. They may also experience problems with memory, learning, and lung health due to using the drug. On the other hand, marijuana may be beneficial for older adults who start using it later in their lives. Older adults who use marijuana may experience improvements in their working memory and coordination from using marijuana.  

Does marijuana affect anxiety or depression?  

In short, the answer is yes. After developing a dependence, taking a break from marijuana causes some people to experience cannabis withdrawal symptoms, including anxiety. Also, varying tetrahydrocannabinol or THC (the main active ingredient in marijuana) concentrations in marijuana can cause increased anxiety. For some people, marijuana can also worsen depression symptoms. These effects are more likely to happen if you started using the substance when you were younger, are a frequent user, or are a recreational user (compared to being prescribed it medically). Additionally, studies link marijuana use to a higher risk for suicidal thoughts and actions in teens and recreational users with depression.   

There’s some evidence that marijuana may relieve feelings of anxiety and depression, but this relief may only last for a short while. The positive impact marijuana can have on people’s mood and sleep can cause them to feel less anxious in the short-term. Marijuana may also give users short-term relief from depressive symptoms. However, there is currently little evidence that marijuana gives you long-term relief from depression. 

Can you use marijuana as a substitute for antidepressants?  

Unfortunately, marijuana isn’t a good substitute for antidepressants. Unlike marijuana, antidepressants do directly affect the amount of serotonin in the brain. Antidepressant medications work by slowly and steadily building neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine (another chemical in the brain that affects mood and motivation). 

How do antidepressants interact with marijuana? 

If your girlfriend does decide to start antidepressants, she may want to consult a health care provider or mental health professional throughout this process. Mixing marijuana and antidepressants, for example, could lead to unintended side effects. Marijuana can affect proteins in your body that break down medications, like antidepressants. This interference could lead to high levels of serotonin in your body, with side effects including anxiety, high fever, or confusion. 

Speaking to a medical or mental health professional can help your girlfriend find the best options for taking care of her mental health. You could also consider opening up conversations with your girlfriend about her mental health to show that you hear and support her.  

If you want to expand your knowledge of marijuana even more, feel free to check out the Cannabis 101 fact sheet. With all of this new information in your back pocket, hopefully, you’ll have a better understanding of how marijuana affects people physically and mentally. 

Take care,