Can weed lower your IQ?

 
I found this article on the net, Thought I may share this with you:
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The scientific research seems inconclusive but overall suggests the possibility that frequent weed smoking can lower your IQ, particularly if your use began in your teen years.

Here’s what the National Institute of Health has to say about the matter as of March 2016:
“…a study showed that people who started smoking marijuana heavily in their teens and had an ongoing cannabis use disorder lost an average of eight points between ages 13 and 38…Those who started smoking as adults did not show notable IQ declines.” (source)

The study they reference was done in 2012 by the National Academy of Sciences:Persistent cannabis users show neuropsychological decline from childhood to midlife.

A more recent study, published in January 2016 in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, says not so fast:
“…those who had used cannabis ≥50 times did not differ from never-users on either IQ or educational performance.” (source)

Who’s right and who’s wrong?

A Lot More Research Needs to be DoneOne thing about the Journal of Psychopharmacology article does catch my eye: the bit about ≥50 times a week.

Let’s say the “greater than” number is 52, that’s only once per week in a year’s time.

Now let’s say the “greater than” number is 365, or once per day in a year’s time.  I’m no scientist but wouldn’t you think that there’s a huge difference between 52 times and 365 times in potential affect.  Not to mention that just one time per day is still pretty lightweight compared to some users.  I used to smoke 2-4 times a day and have been around people who hit it even harder.  The study does not directly address this aspect of marijuana use.

I think it’s fair to say that a lot more research needs to be done to prove whether or not frequent marijuana use will lower your IQ.

So while the jury is still out, some would say “there’s no proof, nothing to worry about here.”  Others would say “well there’s still the possibility, why gamble with your intellect?”

Unfortunately, while the experts are still figuring this out, we turn to more anecdotal evidence or life experience.

A Personal Journey with Pot and Brain FunctionI know without a doubt that while I was smoking weed on a daily basis, my verbal acuity declined during that time frame.  I often caught myself mid sentence pausing for the right word to use when I had previously used that same word on a regular basis my whole life.  Fortunately, now that I no longer smoke weed, I no longer notice that characteristic in myself.

Did I lower my IQ while I was smoking weed?  I can’t say yea or nay to that.  Did my IQ improve after I quit?  I can’t say yea or nay to that either.  Not that it was all that high to begin with.  (Pun and self deprecating humor intended.)

Let me also say though that I noticed this much more in my thirties than I did in my twenties.  I also noticed it more and more in my pot smoking friends the older they got.

Again, its anecdotal observance but I will stand on this:  I definitely dumbed myself down while I was smoking pot on a daily basis.  That’s not a good thing in a highly competitive world.

A Popular Commentator’s Take on ItSo let’s transition to the following video which sums the whole thing up pretty well.  This is clip of an interview between Joe Rogan, popular satirist and commentator, and Rick Doblin, director of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic studies.

Neither guy is “anti-marijuana” but Rogan nails it on the affect of frequent marijuana use on brain function.  Notice what he says about halfway through the clip: