🧠 Dry mouth and the munchies aren't random side effects of cannabis — here's the physiology behind both. Dry mouth: Salivary glands are packed with cannabinoid receptors. When THC binds to them, saliva production gets down-regulated — and the mouth dries out. And no, it's not from the smoke. People consuming edibles experience the same thing, which tells us it's the cannabinoids interacting directly with tissue receptors throughout the body. 🫐 The munchies: Deep in the brain sits the hypothalamus — your body's homeostasis regulator, including hunger. Inside it are POMC neurons responsible for signaling satiety (feeling full). When THC binds to receptors on these neurons, it disrupts that "I'm full" signal and instead triggers a release of endorphins that overrides it — essentially hijacking your appetite system. Add in disrupted leptin and ghrelin levels and your brain genuinely thinks it's time to eat. 🍕 Also worth noting: smoked or vaped THC hits the bloodstream through the lungs within minutes. Edibles pass through the digestive tract and liver first — which is why they take longer but often hit harder and last longer. Follow for more anatomical awesomeness! #tiktoklearningcampaign #anatomy #humananatomy #THC #cannabis #drymouth #munchies #hypothalamus #salivaryglands #endocannabinoidsystem #hunger #physiology #anatomyandphysiology #medschool #premed #healthscience #learnontiktok