CNN
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Remember those classic stoners: Cheech and Chong, anyone? — spending his days in a grass-soaked room (or car), capable of little besides finding that next big high?
If you don’t, that’s not surprising. As more and more states move to legalize marijuana, the stereotypical mind-numbing effects of marijuana have become obsolete, often replaced by an acceptance of the drug as an acceptable way to socialize, relax, and get better sleep.
But while society may have forgotten the impact weed can have on the brain, science hasn’t.
Studies have long shown that taking drugs can damage cognitive function. A research review from January 2022, published in Addiction magazinefinds that the impact can last well beyond the initial high, especially for teens.
“Our study allowed us to highlight several areas of cognition impaired by cannabis use, including concentration problems and difficulties with remembering and learning, which can have a considerable impact on users’ daily lives,” said co-author, Dr. Alexandre Dumais, Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Montreal.
“Youth cannabis use can consequently lead to lower educational attainment and, in adults, poor work performance and dangerous driving. These consequences may be worse in regular and heavy users,” Dumais said.
Marijuana’s impact on the brain may be particularly detrimental to the cognitive development of young people, whose brains are still developing, said Dr. Megan Moreno, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. , who did not participate in the study. .
“This study provides strong evidence of the negative cognitive effects of cannabis use, and should be taken as critical evidence for prioritizing prevention of cannabis use in youth,” Moreno said. “And contrary to Cheech and Chong’s time, we now know that the brain continues to develop until the age of 25.
“Parents should be aware that teens who use cannabis are at risk of damage to their most important organ, the brain.”
The January 2022 review looked at studies of more than 43,000 people and found a negative impact of tetrahydrocannabinol or THC, the main psychoactive compound in cannabis, on higher levels of thinking in the brain. Those executive functions include the ability to make decisions, remember important facts, plan, organize, and solve problems, as well as control emotions and behavior.
Can these deficits be recovered or reversed? Scientists aren’t sure.
“Research has revealed that THC is a fat-soluble compound that can be stored in body fat and therefore gradually released into the bloodstream over months,” Dumais said, adding that high-quality research is needed to establish the long-term impact. of that exhibition.
Some studies say that the negative effects on the brain may decrease after stopping marijuana, but that may also depend on the amount, frequency, and years of marijuana use. The age at which marijuana use began may also play a role, if it falls within the crucial period of youthful brain development.
“Until now, the most consistent alterations produced by cannabis use, mainly chronic use, during youth have been observed in the prefrontal cortex,” Dumais said. “Such disturbances can potentially lead to long-term disruption of cognitive and executive functions.”
Furthermore, some studies have shown that “early and frequent cannabis use in adolescence predicts poor cognition in adulthood,” he added.
While science resolves this, “preventive and interventional measures should be considered to educate young people about cannabis use and discourage chronic use of the substance…as young people remain particularly susceptible to the effects of cannabis Dumas said.