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Why Am I Prone to Crying After Smoking Weed?

We've all seen emotional, happy and angry drunks, and cannabis can bring out emotional or hidden sides of us, too.
Image: cartoon marijuana smoker
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Dear Stoner: I read that people are prone to crying and getting emotional while flying, and it made me realize that I get emotional and sometimes cry after smoking weed. Is that a known side effect?
Kinko

Dear Kinko: As someone who teared up watching Guardians of the Galaxy at 35,000 feet, it's hard to judge in-flight or post-toke crying. That said, you could be on to something serious. Everyone's brain is wired a little differently, and cannabis is very much a mind-altering substance. That's why most of us like the plant, but we can't ignore individual responses to THC and the need for responsible use.
We've all seen emotional, happy and angry drunks, and cannabis can bring out emotional or hidden sides of us, too. (I've never seen someone go from sullen to angry after smoking a joint, but it's not impossible.) Most research points to emotional dysregulation as a side effect of long-term cannabis use, as well, which is worth considering if you've been smoking weed for a while, especially if the emotional episodes increase.

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