Ziva Cooper

You must be wanting to end the opioid epidemic.

If you're studying weed, people are probably like,

Okay.

Do you find that the opinions on cannabis are really polarized, like pro or con?

Do you find that in your research or in who you present to or your study subjects at all?

Yeah.

Well, I'm wondering, because you mentioned opioids too and other addictive substances.

And from what I understand, I'm not you, but from what I understand, there are receptors in our brain that say, yum, yum, yum, opioids.

And there are also endocannabinoids that we create.

So the way that certain chemicals land in our system, is there just like an open basket in our brain been like, this is so much like the thing that I make.

I want this.

Yeah.

Is that what happens?

How does it work in the brain?

Let's find out.

So yes, our endogenous opioids and endocannabinoids came first.

They are tasty little compounds that our body makes, our brains use them to stay alive.

And it's not like we just evolved these empty baskets waiting for the arrival of fun, sparkly drugs.

And according to the National Institute of Health's article, Drugs, Brains, and Behavior, some drugs such as marijuana and heroin can activate neurons because of their chemical structure.

And it mimics that of natural neurotransmitters in the body.