'This study builds on previous work by Harvard researchers
demonstrating that the learning and memory impairments of heavy
marijuana users typically vanish within 28 days of “smoking cessation.”
(The slight impairments still existed, however, one week after smoking.)
While several days might sound like a long hippocampal hangover, heavy
alcohol users typically experience deficits that persist for several
months, if not years. In other words, heavy marijuana use appears to be a
lot less damaging than alcoholism.
Taken together, these studies demonstrate that popular stereotypes of
marijuana users are unfair and untrue. While it’s definitely not a good
idea to perform a cognitively demanding task (such as driving!) while
stoned, smoking a joint probably also won’t lead to any measurable
long-term deficits. The Dude,
in other words, wasn’t dumb because he inhaled. He was dumb because he
was The Dude. (All those White Russians probably didn’t help, either.)'
Read more...
