Ridue‘s Flickr photostream. This is not an endorsement for use of marijuana.

I’ve always known that scientists and the news media don’t get along so well, but this is a bit much.

A study just published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences describes how fatty foods can increase your appetite:

UC Irvine researchers Daniele Piomelli, Nicholas DiPatrizio and colleagues found that fats in these foods make them nearly irresistible and trigger a surprising biological mechanism that likely drives our gluttonous behavior. The apparent culprit? Natural marijuana-like chemicals in the body called endocannabinoids.

In their study, the Piomelli team discovered that when rats tasted something fatty, cells in their upper gut started producing endocannabinoids.

Studying cannabinoids as a drug target for obesity has been a mainstay in the pharmaceutical industry for years. For example, in a study from 2005:

Endogenous cannabinoids acting at CB1 receptors stimulate appetite, and CB1 antagonists show promise in the treatment of obesity. CB1-/- mice are resistant to diet-induced obesity even though their caloric intake is similar to that of wild-type mice, suggesting that endocannabinoids also regulate fat metabolism.

Finding new treatments for obesity beyond miracle diets and gastric bypass surgery is desperately needed to improve public health as we face a veritable obesity epidemic. Unfortunately, in this example one writer at Gawker takes on the topic glibly – when the commentary below was read on a radio broadcast, the statement “This is why science is stupid” was met with a roar of laughter: {No, I do not regard Gawker as an authoritative source for science reporting.}

Scientists apparently hope to use this discovery to make drugs that could help prevent people from overeating. This is why science is stupid. Cool scientists would use their knowledge of endocannabinoids to amplify the effect of fatty foods on the brain, and create french fries that get you as high as quality marijuana. Hamburgers that makes television funnier! Ice cream that makes jam bands tolerable! The possibilities are endless!

(Apparently another way to activate endocannabinoids is to engage in “50 minutes of vigorous running on a treadmill or riding a stationary bike.” Which, ha, okay Jack LaLanne, that’s definitely how I want to get high.)

We have some work to do!