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recent and heavy lifetime cannabis use was associated with a statistically significant reduction in brain activity only during the working memory task.
That's a much smaller impact than the headline would lead you to think. If you're not a heavy user, or you're a heavy user but not for the past month, then you are unlikely to see significant mental changes. And even if you do, it's only for short-term working memory, no other types of mental ability.
Yeah, it seems pretty obvious to me that you don't remember things well while you're high, just like you don't remember things while you're drunk.
That’s a good point. It would be interesting to see how this relates to alcohol and if they see similar effects.
Also I'd like to see it done on a "heavyweight smoker" who's not uses cannabis for say, six months to a year.
Because I think all of the heavy lifetime users were also actively blazed as fuck.
With the low sample size of the study, I wonder how much of that is confounding variables. I know when I've been at my heaviest cannabis usage, my life was falling apart and I was using it to cope with a shitload of stress — which is known to cause short-term and working memory impairments.
Then you've also got, say, ADHDers (diagnosed or otherwise). We've literally got dogshit working memory disorder and as a population we tend to love substances (on account of the underactive reward circuits in our brains).
I haven't read the full study, but as the article says the effects lingered for 2-4 weeks, it sounds like the retesting after abstaining would eliminate confounding variables. Unless they somehow resolved the stress or ADHD at the same time.
Seems as though they didn't retest, they only scanned people once. Scanning people is expensive and getting people to show back up for a second scan is difficult. The abstention periods are likely based on self-reports.
I’d be amazed if it didn’t have any negative health consequences - very few things in life come without trade-offs. The real question is how significant those consequences are and whether the benefits outweigh them. For many, the answer is yes.
CHS literally almost killed me
The negatives aren't zero, but gid damn this is some scare tactic headline bullshit.
Do it when you're a little older, and do not-insane amounts.
It’s also just common sense: don’t go into your calculus final stoned out of your mind!
Lots of research goes into common sense things though. Sometimes common sense is wrong.
What was that? I got stoned and I missed it.
As someone with ADHD, I have noticed no difference on working memory other than when I am actually high. Also sounds like this is not permanent since effects go away after a month of no use, but heavy users may suffer withdrawal
I will say that I tend to use quite a bit and the withdraw can sometimes be annoying. Nowhere near as tough as other addictions, I’m sure, but the one that always gets me is the loss of appetite and nausea with mild insomnia for a couple days. After I’m over that hump, though, it’s right back to normal. I don’t even get a ‘hankering’ for weed. I just sometimes wish I had some on the initial withdraw days just to help with sleeping and eating, not even because I want the high.
It’s pretty incredible we have a drug that you can use that much and bounce back out so quickly (assuming you’re old enough).
The interesting thing about weed and ADHD, is that, since weed is a stimulant, if you find the right microdose (edible) it's super super energizing and you can focus even better because it's stimulating the under active executive part of your brain.
Withdrawal is real for about 3 days, but a mild anti anxiety med for those 3 days makes it way easier. While I would enjoy smoking again there is no need to do it. Nicotine on the other hand is insidious.
Same, but to be fair, my working memory doesn't work at all, whether I'm high or sober.
I smoked a lot of pot as a kid in the 90s. Is my life ruined now?
No. But you have reduced brain function.
That's ok. I don't think I want to live in this world with a fully functioning brain.
Ignorance is bliss, fo sho.
Based and see no evil-pilled
Yes, but for different reasons
Damn so you're saying I could have gotten a mega PhD instead of just a normal dumb person PhD?
Has a similar study been done with tobacco?
Glad I had my first hit at 37 after it was legal.
I do score significantly lower when playing Theatrhythm high vs sober. They may be onto something.
So glad I waited until my 20s to try weed. Everyone else I know started in their teens.