Marijuana May Lead To A Lower IQ
DS1119
Posts: 33,497
Interesting.
http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/27/health/he ... index.html
(Health.com) -- Teenagers who frequently smoke marijuana may be setting themselves up for declines in intelligence and mental function that persist well into adulthood, new research suggests.
In a decades-long study of more than 1,000 New Zealanders, researchers found that adolescents who used marijuana at least four days per week lost an average of eight IQ points between the ages of 13 and 38 -- a pattern not seen among people who began smoking heavily only in adulthood.
Heavy pot smokers tended to show deficits in memory, concentration, and overall brainpower in relation to their peers, but these problems were more pronounced -- and seemingly more lasting -- among those who picked up the habit as teens, the study found.
Individuals who smoked heavily in adolescence had consistently lower IQs at age 38, even if they'd cut back in the previous year. By contrast, the IQ of the relative latecomers to marijuana was more closely linked with how much pot they'd smoked recently.
"The effect of persistent cannabis use on intellectual functioning is really confined to adolescents, (which) suggests that adolescents, in particular, are vulnerable to the effect of cannabis," says lead author Madeline H. Meier, a psychologist and postdoctoral researcher at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.
Health.com: Binge drinking, pot may harm teen brains
An eight-point decline in IQ isn't negligible, the authors say. Previous research suggests a drop in intelligence of that magnitude could, for instance, affect a person's long-term career prospects, job performance and income.
It's reasonable to suspect that still-growing teen brains might be especially sensitive to the cumulative effects of marijuana, says Dr. Jeffrey Brosco, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Miami's Miller School of Medicine.
"In the developing brain, neurons are growing and changing, synapses are forming," says Brosco, who was not involved in the study. "When there's a lot of change in any part of the body, particularly the brain, that usually means it's more vulnerable to environmental influences."
Health.com: Does occasionally smoking marijuana affect your health?
The new study, which was published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, doesn't prove that marijuana use directly impairs intelligence. It does, however, provide some of the strongest evidence to date of a cause-and-effect relationship.
The study participants underwent IQ tests when they were 13 -- before they'd ever tried marijuana -- and again as adults, which provided the researchers a before-and-after snapshot of their intelligence.
Earlier studies that found a link between mental ability and pot smoking have generally looked at a single point in time, raising the possibility that low IQ increases the likelihood of marijuana use, rather than vice versa, Meier says.
Health.com: Medical marijuana, state by state
But Meier and her colleagues weren't able to entirely rule out alternative explanations for the IQ declines seen in the study. For instance, although they controlled for alcohol and drug use, they focused on full-blown dependence (as opposed to more casual use) and therefore may have underestimated the effects of teen drinking.
"It's hard to be dependent as a teenager, so you worry about (whether) you can be sure it's the cannabis," Brosco says. "Alcohol is well known to be a neurotoxin."
Only 5% of the study participants began smoking marijuana regularly before age 18, and it's not clear from the findings whether less-frequent users might experience similar declines in IQ and mental function. More research will be needed to determine the minimum dosage of marijuana associated with these problems, the authors say.
Survey: 17% of high schoolers drink, smoke, use drugs during school day
http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/27/health/he ... index.html
(Health.com) -- Teenagers who frequently smoke marijuana may be setting themselves up for declines in intelligence and mental function that persist well into adulthood, new research suggests.
In a decades-long study of more than 1,000 New Zealanders, researchers found that adolescents who used marijuana at least four days per week lost an average of eight IQ points between the ages of 13 and 38 -- a pattern not seen among people who began smoking heavily only in adulthood.
Heavy pot smokers tended to show deficits in memory, concentration, and overall brainpower in relation to their peers, but these problems were more pronounced -- and seemingly more lasting -- among those who picked up the habit as teens, the study found.
Individuals who smoked heavily in adolescence had consistently lower IQs at age 38, even if they'd cut back in the previous year. By contrast, the IQ of the relative latecomers to marijuana was more closely linked with how much pot they'd smoked recently.
"The effect of persistent cannabis use on intellectual functioning is really confined to adolescents, (which) suggests that adolescents, in particular, are vulnerable to the effect of cannabis," says lead author Madeline H. Meier, a psychologist and postdoctoral researcher at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.
Health.com: Binge drinking, pot may harm teen brains
An eight-point decline in IQ isn't negligible, the authors say. Previous research suggests a drop in intelligence of that magnitude could, for instance, affect a person's long-term career prospects, job performance and income.
It's reasonable to suspect that still-growing teen brains might be especially sensitive to the cumulative effects of marijuana, says Dr. Jeffrey Brosco, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Miami's Miller School of Medicine.
"In the developing brain, neurons are growing and changing, synapses are forming," says Brosco, who was not involved in the study. "When there's a lot of change in any part of the body, particularly the brain, that usually means it's more vulnerable to environmental influences."
Health.com: Does occasionally smoking marijuana affect your health?
The new study, which was published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, doesn't prove that marijuana use directly impairs intelligence. It does, however, provide some of the strongest evidence to date of a cause-and-effect relationship.
The study participants underwent IQ tests when they were 13 -- before they'd ever tried marijuana -- and again as adults, which provided the researchers a before-and-after snapshot of their intelligence.
Earlier studies that found a link between mental ability and pot smoking have generally looked at a single point in time, raising the possibility that low IQ increases the likelihood of marijuana use, rather than vice versa, Meier says.
Health.com: Medical marijuana, state by state
But Meier and her colleagues weren't able to entirely rule out alternative explanations for the IQ declines seen in the study. For instance, although they controlled for alcohol and drug use, they focused on full-blown dependence (as opposed to more casual use) and therefore may have underestimated the effects of teen drinking.
"It's hard to be dependent as a teenager, so you worry about (whether) you can be sure it's the cannabis," Brosco says. "Alcohol is well known to be a neurotoxin."
Only 5% of the study participants began smoking marijuana regularly before age 18, and it's not clear from the findings whether less-frequent users might experience similar declines in IQ and mental function. More research will be needed to determine the minimum dosage of marijuana associated with these problems, the authors say.
Survey: 17% of high schoolers drink, smoke, use drugs during school day
Post edited by Unknown User on
0
Comments
I think different things affect all or a few people very differently. what about their creative IQ? their ability to feel, visualize and express themselves.
just saying. it may or may not. peace.
amy
New Orleans LA 7/4/95 reschedule 9/17/95
Chicago IL 1998, 10/9/00, 06/18/03, 05/16/06, 05/17/06
08/23/09, 08/24/09, Lolla 08/05/07
Champaign IL 4/23/03
Grand Rapids MI VFC 10/03/04
Grand Rapids MI 19May06
Noblesville IN 05/07/10 Cleveland OH 05/09/10
PJ 20 2011
Baltimore MD, Charlottesville VA, Seattle WA 2013
St. Louis MO, Milwaukee WI 2014
Tampa FL, Chicago IL, Lexington KY 2016
Missoula MT 2018
ya know legally
I look forward to the 2022 report where they correlate pot smoking with the munchies.
The last couple of paragraphs state that they can't even rule out alternative explanations. Like amethgr8 said, there are other variables in the individual that can affect these outcomes....and to top it all off, the department at Duke that conducted this study is solely sponsored by NIDA.
NIDA basically controls all research on MJ, via their position as MJ 'gatekeepers' - they are the ones who grant access to MJ for research purposes. They're also the ones who have a blatant anti-medi-pot agenda - they pressure scientists to change the focus of their studies (will only allow access if the focus is on adverse affects).
hmmmm.....reading this article again....I just turned 38, so I'm good, right?
Wish I'd known I could've had it financed, dammit!
i spend about 4,000.00 a year, so x 20, only 80 Grand, Fuck it, why make the money if cant enjoy spending it.
(I just did the math for what we spend yearly...
"I need your strength for me to be strong...I need your love to feel loved"
..only the memory is affected by marijuana...
and i wanna say that...
shit..i forgot what i wanna say....
"..That's One Happy Fuckin Ghost.."
“..That came up on the Pillow Case...This is for the Greek, With Our Apologies.....”
MARIJUANA USE DOWN
Music sales also down because... well, current releases mostly suck.
-Eddie Vedder, "Smile"
brianlux, you sound like a freakin' idiot. Look at your post. What is the relationship between the first line of your stupid "headline" and the next? You know, if you had made the second line "Music sales also down as a result of less marijuana usage because current releases suck" it might make sense. Something must be lowering your I.Q. :?
-Eddie Vedder, "Smile"
It will be right behind the chapter titled, "Childhood Use of Alcohol May Lead to Lower I.Q." and before the chapter titled, "Eating Lead Based Paint Chips May Lead To Lower I.Q.". Or should it go after the 'French Kissing An Electrical Outlet May Lead To Electrocution' chapter...
Oh... and I have to remember to append the section, 'Who Pays For This Shit, Anyway?'.
Hail, Hail!!!
"I need your strength for me to be strong...I need your love to feel loved"
(then the rolling around and delirious belly-exposing till they look at you with a little green beard..."what'd I do?")
OK, 'bout time for OUR greenery
Oh yeah, I also worked my ass off and got my shit done. Work ethic is half the battle.
Abrn Hlls '98 - Clarkston 2 '03 - Grd Rpds '06 - Abrn Hlls '06 - Clvd '10 - PJ20 - Berlin 1+2 '12 - Wrigley '13 - Pitt '13- buff '13- Philly 1+2 '13 - Seattle '13
ohhh
ohhhhhh
I see it! There it is!
Let me guess- Music Appreciation 101?
-Eddie Vedder, "Smile"
Political Science 348
:shock: dang, dude!!
-Eddie Vedder, "Smile"
That was a tough class... especially as a Freshman.