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Chronic pot smokers beware. A new study found that regularly smoking marijuana may lower cognitive function, especially if the person starts smoking before 16 years of age.

Experts split on whether marijuana works miracles or just hides symptoms.Study authors from Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital wanted to examine the effects of chronic marijuana use on brain function.

In a paper presented today at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in San Diego, Dr. Staci Gruber, lead author of the small study, reported that study participants who began smoking pot before 16 years of age performed significantly worse on cognitive function tests than both non-smokers and those who became chronic smokers later in life.

Researchers defined chronic marijuana use as smoking pot at least five of the last seven days and a minimum of 3,000 joints in a lifetime. The average age of study participants was 22 years old. The data showed that chronic pot smokers repeated errors more often than the two other groups, even after the authors corrected them. They also had more trouble maintaining a set of rules, suggesting an inability to maintain focus...

...."We have to be clear about getting the message out that marijuana isn't really a benign substance," she said in a statement. "It has a direct effect on executive function. The earlier you begin using it, and the more you use of it, the more significant that effect."

Gruber also said it is unclear whether occasional marijuana use would have the same effect on cognitive function.

"It's impossible to tell whether our results would be the same in moderate smokers," said Gruber. "But there are even more of those people out there, so that will be the next place we go for our research."

Cap'n Cat wrote:The only phenomenon associated with pot that's bad in my mind, is amotivational syndrome. It's real. You smoke for a long time and you don't want to do anything but sit around and take in the blessings of our Conk-led society.

Cap'n Cat wrote:The only phenomenon associated with pot that's bad in my mind, is amotivational syndrome. It's real. You smoke for a long time and you don't want to do anything but sit around and take in the blessings of our Conk-led society.

AZGrizFan wrote:

Cap'n Cat wrote:The only phenomenon associated with pot that's bad in my mind, is amotivational syndrome. It's real. You smoke for a long time and you don't want to do anything but sit around and take in the blessings of our Conk-led society.

...and you donks have amotivational syndrome down to a science, don't you?

Cap'n Cat wrote:

AZGrizFan wrote:
...and you donks have amotivational syndrome down to a science, don't you?

Blah, blah, blah...

God put it here for a reason, Z.

travelinman67 wrote:

Cap'n Cat wrote:

Blah, blah, blah...

God put it here for a reason, Z.

Tons of natural toxins and hallucinagens, Cappy. You sayin' it was meant for us to partake in all of them...

...and per your argument...

...oil and coal are also "natural".


Or is this just more Cap hyperbole?




Chronic pot smoking destroys the brain. That's a fact, Cappy.

And when the studies are finished, I'll wager moderate use also causes irreversible brain damage.


Rationalizing the harm by citing other damage resulting substances holds no water.

Skjellyfetti wrote:Didn't except T-man to be an advocate for the nanny state.

Just because something is bad for you, doesn't mean it should be illegal.

What's next, T-man? Fatty foods? Alcohol? High sodium foods? Time limits on television and computer?

AZGrizFan wrote:
As long as we're going to have to subsidize YOUR healthcare, I want some say in what gets taken off the "legal" list.

Skjellyfetti wrote:Didn't except T-man to be an advocate for the nanny state.

Just because something is bad for you, doesn't mean it should be illegal.

What's next, T-man? Fatty foods? Alcohol? High sodium foods? Time limits on television and computer?

89Hen wrote: The legalize it crowd has always used the "it's not bad for you" arguement. This is a blow to that.

Skjellyfetti wrote:

89Hen wrote: The legalize it crowd has always used the "it's not bad for you" arguement. This is a blow to that.

I think it can be bad for you if used irresponsibly or abused.

Should we outlaw everything that can be bad for you if used irresponsibly or abused?





edit: I love the fact that all the normally "GOVERNMENT IS OUT OF CONTROL. KEEP GOVERNMENT OUT OF OUR LIVES" types are in full support of outlawing a plant.

Skjellyfetti wrote:

AZGrizFan wrote:
As long as we're going to have to subsidize YOUR healthcare, I want some say in what gets taken off the "legal" list.

Do you want a say in what is put ON the list?

Do you think fattening foods and foods high in sodium contribute more to high medical bills than smoking marijuana?

Do you want to ban fattening or high sodium foods?

bandl wrote:I function finely.

AZGrizFan wrote:

Skjellyfetti wrote:
Do you want a say in what is put ON the list?

Do you think fattening foods and foods high in sodium contribute more to high medical bills than smoking marijuana?

Do you want to ban fattening or high sodium foods?

Yes
Yes
Yes

edit: and this is only with the understanding that we're stuck with Obamacare....and I think you know where I stand on THAT issue...

89Hen wrote: Opium, heroin, cocaine... all from plants. Give me a break.

travelinman67 wrote:

bandl wrote:I function finely.

eh...better schedule a doctors appointment to have your hijackitis examined...it appears grossly inflamed.

Skjellyfetti wrote:Do you think fattening foods and foods high in sodium contribute more to high medical bills than smoking marijuana?

Skjellyfetti wrote:

89Hen wrote: Opium, heroin, cocaine... all from plants. Give me a break.

Opium, heroin, and cocaine all come from plants that are legal. You can grow them in your backyard.


You can't process them and produce heroin, opium and cocaine, though.

89Hen wrote: I can make beer, but I can't sell it. I can make wine, but I can't sell it. I can't make hooch, nor sell it. I can't grow pot, nor sell it. I can buy Sudafed, but not more than a certain amount and I have to sign for it. Trying to apply one rule doesn't work jelly.

Skjellyfetti wrote:

89Hen wrote: I can make beer, but I can't sell it. I can make wine, but I can't sell it. I can't make hooch, nor sell it. I can't grow pot, nor sell it. I can buy Sudafed, but not more than a certain amount and I have to sign for it. Trying to apply one rule doesn't work jelly.

Beer, wine, and sudafed are all processed. Only one of the items listed isn't.