New research demonstrates that drug paraphernalia triggers the reward areas of the brain differently in dependent and non-dependent marijuana users. By letting users handle a marijuana pipe while in an fMRI, researchers found that areas of brain activation in the dependent users suggests a more emotional connection than in non-dependent users. Non-dependent users had greater activations in areas associated with memory and attention.

Well…we DO love our paraphenalia!  It would seem that science has finally proven this.  :steamroller

Basically, the study says that chronic chronic users respond emotionally to their pieces.  (Big surprise.)

I thought of much greater interest though, was that both groups were not really driven by the defined ‘abuse-reward’ structures, insomuch as:

"We found that the reward network is actually being driven by other areas unrelated to reward, like the areas in memory and attention or emotion,"

Basically, this tells me that the body knows what’s good for it. (Memory…debatable… but attention (("focus")) and emotion boost ((everything’s just *better*)) are a big part of why so many of us do this, in my humble experience.

Am I the only one who thinks we could save the scientific community a hell of a lot of cash if they’d only ask us?  :rollingonasslaughing:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/07/140716090846.htm