Why Cannabis Causes Laughing Fits

Let’s face it – if you smoke, there’s probably at least one time when you started laughing for a barely non-existent reason. Not only that but usually in the media you can recognize a character is high by the redness of the eyes and hysterically laughing.

But why is that? Why does cannabis cause laughing fits?

What is laughing anyway?

Laughter is a wild concept not only portrayed by humans but by animals too.

It’s a societal concept – humans laugh way more around other humans than when they are alone. Also, laughter can be addictive – hearing someone laugh can trigger us to burst into giggling too.

Laughing has multiple reasons why it shows up – most importantly, it makes us feel good, reduces tension in negative contexts, and improves social bonding and social relationships. In the body, this manifests as deeper breathing, stimulating our muscles, hearts, and lungs as well as an increase in producing endorphins.

Laughing reduces stress and pain, elevates the mood, and boosts the immune system. When we say laughter is medicine, we mean it!

How does cannabis make us laugh?

To be frank, there are not a lot of studies exploring the connection between cannabis and laughing. But, there are many studies exploring how marijuana influences our endocannabinoid system which also paints the picture when it comes to triggering laughter.

So, here’s how the process looks like – our endocannabinoid system interacts with the endogenous opioid system – the one in charge of producing endorphins, or in other words, the opiates released in our body when we feel pleasure, pain or laughter.

So far what we know is that the THC found in marijuana interacts with our endocannabinoid system affecting specific endorphin receptors. The receptors make the endogenous opioid system more sensitive, which consequently makes people laugh more.

Many researchers believe that the connection between cannabis and laughter is based on the fact that it boosts our mood.

Cannabis also plays a role in influencing oxytocin – our favorite feel-good hormone that affects our social behavior, such as laughing.

To put this simply, it helps us relax and perceive an environment where it’s easier to laugh. It does this by softening our defense mechanisms that hinder our ability to laugh freely and enjoy the feeling of laughter.

Are there any strains that make us laugh more?

Many enthusiasts claim to know which strains promote laughter. Some swear by Tangies (the strain made from crossing California Orange and Skunk-1 or Tangerine Dream), others by the cake strains (Cake Mix, Angel Food Cake, Ice Cream Cake, Wedding Cake…).

Other popular choices for causing laughter include: Sweet Diesel, Laughing Buddha (duh!) Blue Diesel, Black Diamond, Chemdog, Mango Kush, and Church OG.

However, it is important to remember that too much THC can cause anxiety, which in turn, lowers our need for laughter. That’s why it’s good to find a strain that is a good combination of THC and CBD. Since CBD has the ability to mellow out the effects of THC.

It’s also important to remember that there is not a specific compound in cannabis that makes us laugh. It’s a combination of elements that lead to certain effects – known as the entourage effect.

So, next time you’re in the mood for a laugh, visit us in the local coffeeshops in Amsterdam and let’s have a laugh together!