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Marijuana and IQ Damage

Does Marijuana destroy brain cells?

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Wake

Wake

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This issue has been discussed more times than I can count, and partisans from both sides of the aisle have painted their sides of the story.

So, what's the truth? Last time I discussed this issue, I used this article:

Researchers found persistent users of the drug, who started smoking it at school, had lower IQ scores as adults.


They were also significantly more likely to have attention and memory problems in later life, than their peers who abstained.


Furthermore, those who started as teenagers and used it heavily, but quit as adults, did not regain their full mental powers, found academics at King’s College London and Duke University in the US.


They looked at data from over 1,000 people from Dunedin in New Zealand, who have been followed through their lives since being born in 1972 or 1973.


Participants were asked about cannabis usage when they were 18, 21, 26, 32 and 38. Their IQ was tested at 13 and 38. In addition, each nominated a close friend or family member, who was asked about attention and memory problems.
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Cannabis smoking 'permanently lowers IQ' - Telegraph

No one seems to know the number of flip-flops on this issue in regards to marijuana's effect on IQ. What do you think?
 
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It's not a debate. Marijuana kills brain cells.

So does tobacco, alcohol, and television.
 
Wake said:
This issue has been discussed more times than I can count, and partisans from both sides of the aisle have painted their sides of the story.

So, what's the truth? Last time I discussed this issue, I used this article:



Cannabis smoking 'permanently lowers IQ' - Telegraph

No one seems to know the number of flip-flops on this issue in regards to marijuana's effect on IQ. What do you think?
Click to expand...

From what I see, the damage done to people who start smoking as adults is temporary, and can be permanent for people who start in their youth. This is a great reason to legalize. Drug dealers don't check ID, and legal pot means that it's easier to regulate it out of the hands of kids. In high school obtaining weed was always much easier than obtaining booze. The fact that the government bans pot when there is significant demand for it and no effective way of eradicating it, cannot stop the black market from coming in and controlling the production and sale of the crop, and then calls this product a "controlled substance" is laughable. Sudafed is more of a controlled substance than pot. Banned stuff is just about the least "controlled" stuff there is.
 
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Wake said:
This issue has been discussed more times than I can count, and partisans from both sides of the aisle have painted their sides of the story.

So, what's the truth? Last time I discussed this issue, I used this article:



Cannabis smoking 'permanently lowers IQ' - Telegraph

No one seems to know the number of flip-flops on this issue in regards to marijuana's effect on IQ. What do you think?
Click to expand...

If people want to smoke weed and become less intelligent then that is up to them, i personally favor legalisation without actually having a joint myself :shock:


Also if it does destroy brain cells, people are only harming themselves. You need two more options 1) Yes it does but make it legal
and 2) no it doesn't but keep it illegal.
 
I saw an article once that claimed aging has been shown to permanently lower IQ, too. Just sayin.
 
Wake said:
This issue has been discussed more times than I can count, and partisans from both sides of the aisle have painted their sides of the story.

So, what's the truth? Last time I discussed this issue, I used this article:



Cannabis smoking 'permanently lowers IQ' - Telegraph

No one seems to know the number of flip-flops on this issue in regards to marijuana's effect on IQ. What do you think?
Click to expand...

Having read everything I've read, and my personal experiences with the drug, I would say absolutely not. However, considering the jury is still somewhat out on that, let's assume for a minute it does kill brain cells.

There is an unbelievable number of things that kill brain cells. Some of the most notable being:
- Too much stress
- Rapidly shaking your head
- Junk food
- Avoiding exercise
- Drinking too much water
- Being a chronic negative thinker
- Lack of quality sleep
etc.

Ultimately, however, none of it matters, because your brain is constantly regrowing brain cells. You don't have a limited number of brain cells any more than you have a limited number of hair. (Well I guess some of us do) When cut, it will end up growing back in time.
 
Regrettably true. Both pot and aging take their toll.

I used to have constant business ideas. Now, I can barely keep up with litter-box duties.

Pot should be legal but I don't recommend it.

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Tucker Case said:
I saw an article once that claimed aging has been shown to permanently lower IQ, too. Just sayin.
Click to expand...
 
RabidAlpaca said:
Having read everything I've read, and my personal experiences with the drug, I would say absolutely not. However, considering the jury is still somewhat out on that, let's assume for a minute it does kill brain cells.

There is an unbelievable number of things that kill brain cells. Some of the most notable being:
- Too much stress
- Rapidly shaking your head
- Junk food
- Avoiding exercise
- Drinking too much water
- Being a chronic negative thinker
- Lack of quality sleep
etc.

Ultimately, however, none of it matters, because your brain is constantly regrowing brain cells. You don't have a limited number of brain cells any more than you have a limited number of hair. (Well I guess some of us do) When cut, it will end up growing back in time.
Click to expand...



Adult Brain Cells Do Keep Growing | LiveScience
The 6 Most Frequently Quoted Brain Facts (That Are Total BS) | Cracked.com
Does your brain produce new cells? | Science | guardian.co.uk
 
I am sure it does. also I am sure that there are too many variables to draw the link that it alone was the factor in the IQ loss. I really have no problem with pot just so it is not around me because of the smell. It is a natural plant and all it takes is to dry it. Maybe if it were more available and accepted, people would/could step themselves off the harder stuff or be deterred from doing the harder stuff because they would not be in for a penny in for a pound on the illegals. I would be ok with hash too. Anything beyond that, is where my line is chiseled in stone.
 
DrunkenAsparagus said:
From what I see, the damage done to people who start smoking as adults is temporary, and can be permanent for people who start in their youth. This is a great reason to legalize. Drug dealers don't check ID, and legal pot means that it's easier to regulate it out of the hands of kids. In high school obtaining weed was always much easier than obtaining booze. The fact that the government bans pot when there is significant demand for it and no effective way of eradicating it, cannot stop the black market from coming in and controlling the production and sale of the crop, and then calls this product a "controlled substance" is laughable. Sudafed is more of a controlled substance than pot. Banned stuff is just about the least "controlled" stuff there is.
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This is roughly where the research stands, although I do think it has been establish what the mechanism that imperils pre-adults is, thus “kills brain cells” wording of the poll is right out.

Heavy pot usage causes certain mental impairments, for example sentence construction. But in adults if you stop smoking and let it clear out the problem goes away, unlike a lot of the damage that alcohol does.
 
DrunkenAsparagus said:
The fact that the government bans pot when there is significant demand for it and no effective way of eradicating it, cannot stop the black market from coming in and controlling the production and sale of the crop, and then calls this product a "controlled substance" is laughable. Sudafed is more of a controlled substance than pot. Banned stuff is just about the least "controlled" stuff there is.
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Amen.
 
I don't know anymore. I don't remember.
 
Dwight said:
Heavy pot usage causes certain mental impairments, for example sentence construction. But in adults if you stop smoking and let it clear out the problem goes away, unlike a lot of the damage that alcohol does.
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This is what's troubling me.

I reason that after a person turn 24, the brain generally stops "developing." Though brain cells are being replenished naturally, like all cells in the body, one would think that marijuana would kill more brain cells in adults than there is to replenish.... and that if one smokes marijuana while young and then stops, at least the brain would still be developing, making up for some of the damage.
 
I don't know really.


Only thing I can say is that most long-term wake-and-bake heavy stoners I've known didn't exactly come across as intellectual giants.
 
Wake said:
This is what's troubling me.

I reason that after a person turn 24, the brain generally stops "developing." Though brain cells are being replenished naturally, like all cells in the body, one would think that marijuana would kill more brain cells in adults than there is to replenish.... and that if one smokes marijuana while young and then stops, at least the brain would still be developing, making up for some of the damage.
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Cell death is not the mechanism of cognitive impairment. Even at blush this is apparent as there is no fatal dose level for the psycho-active ingredients. They are receptor binders. The only way to kill yourself with the mary-J is suffocate yourself by trying to hotbox using a plastic bag over your head, or go tightrope walking after sparking up. ;)

This study certainly does not assertion the mechanism behind the trend it measures. It could easily be as simple as the kids not paying attention and exerting themselves mentally during key learning years. I did not see a link to the study in the article, which raises all sorts of flags for me but also means I cannot really get a good idea what they have tried to control for to make sure this was not a case of self-selection.
 
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Ray410 said:
Adolescent Pot Use Leaves Lasting Mental Deficits | Duke Today
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"The findings are pretty clear that it is not simply chronic use that causes deficits, but chronic use with adolescent onset."

It has long been noted and widely accepted that poking around brain chemistry during adolescence, with any psychoactive substance, is riskier than after reaching adulthood. That is why pharmaceuticals regs require separate approval for pre-adults, after adult approval is accepted, in various age bands. This is not really that unexpected but still good to have some data on it.
 
I've know several people who have smoked probably 25 years, several times a day, per them,,,,,,,, don't know if that is considered heavy or not, however, when I'm around them at work, I see No problem with their thinking ability or work ability, I do know they aren't smoking at work as there is no place or time to smoke w/out getting caught, So with them I would say No, hasn't affected their brains, Not yet anyway.
 
I don't see too many people arguing that little kids and teenagers should be buying it, as is the status quo. dealers don't card. it's much easier for a kid to buy pot than alcohol.

that being said, is pot totally harmless? no. is it less harmful than legal drugs? yes.
 
Dwight said:
Heavy pot usage causes certain mental impairments, for example sentence construction. But in adults if you stop smoking and let it clear out the problem goes away, unlike a lot of the damage that alcohol does.
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It not does that. Hold on . . . (sound of lighter . . . whhiiishhhh . . . ecccghhh sqquuuich cough) . . . jest you surely do. Not does it way any sentence effect of the structure pot. Jeesh!
 
Choice Number 4: I don't care.
 
DiavoTheMiavo said:
It not does that. Hold on . . . (sound of lighter . . . whhiiishhhh . . . ecccghhh sqquuuich cough) . . . jest you surely do. Not does it way any sentence effect of the structure pot. Jeesh!
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Beware the Dank Side, Yoda!
 
The research methodology in the OP is flawed for many reasons, the first of which is that it's not possible to create a control that separates cannabis, tobacco, and alcohol use from one another as variables for the effects observed.

Most of the aging population that were heavy cannabis uses for most of their lives are only now reaching the age where research can be done to determine what life-long use has accomplished.

Up until now, the claim that cannabis causes permanent damage to the brain has been continuously debunked. It does however cause short-term impairment that is reversible once stopped. I'd personally be more concerned about the effects on the lungs if you're not using a vaporisor.
 
Northern Light said:
The research methodology in the OP is flawed for many reasons, the first of which is that it's not possible to create a control that separates cannabis, tobacco, and alcohol use from one another as variables for the effects observed.

Most of the aging population that were heavy cannabis uses for most of their lives are only now reaching the age where research can be done to determine what life-long use has accomplished.

Up until now, the claim that cannabis causes permanent damage to the brain has been continuously debunked. It does however cause short-term impairment that is reversible once stopped. I'd personally be more concerned about the effects on the lungs if you're not using a vaporisor.
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Dunno about IQ damage, but it sure as hell causes Amotivational Syndrome. Of course it's temporary...but what the hey.
 
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