Pot Is Bad, Ok?

In a world where cannabis is increasingly legalized and normalized, questions about its effects on the brain have never been more pressing. A recent study, the largest and most comprehensive of its kind, offers some of the clearest insights yet into how cannabis use affects brain function during cognitive tasks.

Researchers uncovered a striking pattern: heavy cannabis users show reduced brain activity during working memory tasks, the cognitive function that helps us retain and use information in the moment. The findings suggest that the drug’s effects on the brain may be more persistent than previously thought. 

Shock, horror! 

The study was led by Dr Joshua Gowin, an assistant professor of radiology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. It examined over 1,000 young adults aged 22 to 36. Using advanced brain imaging technology, the researchers discovered that 63% of heavy lifetime cannabis users and 68% of recent users exhibited diminished brain activity during working memory tasks. This decline was associated with poorer performance on tasks that require holding and manipulating information, such as following instructions or solving a simple math problem. 

Well being stoned can do that. To be fair though, it’s not clear whether they were testing heavy cannabis when these stoners were stoned or when they were not stoned. 

[…] The study categorized participants based on their cannabis use. They defined heavy users as those who had used cannabis more than 1,000 times over their lifetime. Moderate users had used it between 10 and 999 times, while nonusers had used it fewer than 10 times. This classification allowed the researchers to explore how varying levels of use might correlate with brain function. They also tested for recent cannabis use by analyzing urine samples. 

This is a very unusual way of defining a heavy user. Under this definition someone who uses everyday but has only been using for a year would not be classified as a heavy user. 

Participants underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) while completing seven cognitive tasks. These tasks tested working memory, reward processing, emotion regulation, language skills, motor skills, relational reasoning, and theory of mind (the ability to understand others’ mental states). Among these, working memory tasks stood out. 

Which is no surprise to anyone who has used weed. 

[…] In the United States alone, nearly half of all states have legalized recreational cannabis, and its use is on the rise. Yet, despite its growing acceptance, the long-term effects of cannabis on the brain remain poorly understood. 

I call bullshit on that. You mean that in all the hundreds of years that weed has been around, we still don’t understand the long-term effects on the brain? 

But the new study goes further by examining how these changes manifest during specific cognitive tasks. The reduced brain activation seen in heavy users could help explain why some people who use cannabis heavily struggle with memory and attention in their daily lives. It also raises concerns about the potential long-term consequences of cannabis use, especially for young people whose brains are still developing. 

Yeah, well, we already knew this. People whose brains are still developing should stay away from weed (which includes every member of the Green Party.) 

The researchers caution that their study is cross-sectional, meaning it provides a snapshot in time rather than tracking changes over years. This makes it difficult to establish causality – whether cannabis use directly causes these brain changes or whether people with certain brain characteristics are more likely to use cannabis heavily. Longitudinal studies, which follow participants over time, are more suited for answering these types of questions. 

Which is basically saying the study was a big fat waste of time and money. 

In any event, Gowin noted that abstaining from cannabis well before engaging in cognitive tasks could improve performance. This may be something worth considering if you need to pass an upcoming important exam, for instance. 

Wow. I really need to remember that next time I have to sit an exam on quantum physics. 

[…] For now, the message is clear: while cannabis may be increasingly accepted, it is not without risks. In the meantime, Gowin’s advice is simple: “Be mindful of how cannabis affects you. Understanding its impact on your brain is the first step toward making informed decisions. 

This I actually agree with. How anybody can take something that has a psychoactive effect without having even a little understanding how it impacts the brain I will never understand. First, it lessens the chances of problems occurring and secondly it’s the responsible thing to do. In some cases you might even ask yourself, ‘You know, maybe trying this isn’t worth it.’ 

But in any case I don’t know why they keep doing studies like this. Maybe it’s because support of legalising cannabis in the US keeps going up and up?