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New research from Western University is shedding light on why using cannabis can lead to bad trips for some, while others enjoy their high – sometimes a little too much.

Neuroscientist Steven Laviolette and post-doctoral fellow Christopher Norris from the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry mapped how different regions of the brain produce significantly different reactions to marijuana use.

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The research shows some pot users experience highly rewarding effects, which could lead to dependence, while the drug leads to negative psychiatric side effects including paranoia, cognitive problems and heightened risk of developing schizophrenia for others.

“The research we did indicates that both of those processes are occurring in the same part of the brain,” Norris said on Friday.

The scientists looked at the effects of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – the psychoactive component of cannabis – on rat brains.