Are ‘the munchies’ real?

There is a food holiday of sorts coming up on Sunday that isn’t Easter or associated with any spring festivals. Cannabis aficionados will be celebrating 4/20 (here’s why this date is associated with marijuana) and of course smoking pot leads to ‘the munchies’ making this a food-associated event. But does THC actually lead to food cravings? Not everyone believes that it does, but Forbes is here to explain that yes, there actually are physiological explanations for why people who are stoned tend to crave certain types of foods.

The drivers behind the munchies are multi-faceted. First, marijuana heightens your sense of smell and taste by activating the brain’s inherent endocannabinoid system. In addition, “cannabis also increases dopamine activity in the striatum” which is the part of the brain associated with reward-seeking behavior. So basically you get into a feedback loop when you ingest marijuana, potentially leading to intense food cravings. Like most things, the effect varies depending on the individual, and not everyone will experience this aspect of THC consumption.

Most of the time these cravings include fast food and/or junk food, which is why companies like Taco Bell and White Castle and foods like chips/crisps and ice cream are often associated with the munchies. Maybe I should add some Doritos to my menu on Sunday in recognition of this event. The combination of 4/20 and Easter won’t happen again until 2087 so this is definitely my last chance to celebrate the two together.