Marijuana Users Have Lower IQs Than Non-Pot Smokers, New Study Shows

Discussion in 'Marijuana News' started by The Grasscity Post, Nov 17, 2014.

  1. #1 The Grasscity Post, Nov 17, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 17, 2014
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    Marijuana users have long touted the benefits of their mind-altering drug of choice, but a new study from the School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences in the University of Texas at Dallas suggests that the “altering” part has nothing to do with adding points to the IQ.
     
    In fact, subjects who used marijuana frequently reported IQ scores that were, on average, five points lower than those who did not use the drug or used it very little.
    “Frequently,” in the study, was defined as “adults who have smoked weed at least four times a week,” Yahoo! reports.
     
    While the test did not control for other factors that may have contributed to the loss in IQ points, it is pretty telling that the findings were consistent across the board.
    Still, some were critical of the study as a whole.
     
    Take Paul Armentano, deputy director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws.
     
    “Investigators in this study failed to assess whether any of these differences are positively associated with any measurable adverse performance outcomes, such as cognitive [mental] performance or quality of life.”
     
    <div>Frequent marijuana users also showed to have less brain volume in the orbitofrontal cortex, though they did have one thing to celebrate in the study.
     
    The test, which included 48 users and 62 non-users, found that users had changes in connectivity that were greater than nonusers, which “may be considered a way of compensating for the reduction in volume,” noted Dr. Francesca Filbey, who added that it may explain “why chronic users appear to be doing fine, even though an important region of their brain is smaller in terms of volume.”
     
    Still, even though this increased connectivity is present, the study authors warn marijuana users not to get too carried away with the finding.
     
    These blossoming connections that are present during the first few years of regular use eventually go away, and the researchers note there was “a significant drop-off in new brain links after about six years of regular use,” the Yahoo! report adds.
     
    While the reduced brain volume is something corroborated in other studies, supporters of legal marijuana note that you can't actually point to a study that kills brain cells.
     
    Still, one study on animals did confirm exposure to the drug had that effect.
     
    What do you think, Blades? Do frequent marijuana users have cause for concern from this study, and do you believe that pot smokers are less intelligent than non-pot smokers?


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  2. Even if it is true, all it serves to do is give them another reason they can hold up and say "See! Its bad! Can't legalize it!"  
    They are desperately grasping at straws..........If they were so concerned about what effect things have on our health and our brains, they would be doing something about the carcinogenic chemicals they put into so much of our food, they would be looking into alcohol, pharmaceutical drugs, the lead they put into lipstick.......
    But they don't care, they make too much money off of us being sick, and for that reason I really look hard at ANYTHING that comes out of a doctors mouth or a politicians mouth.  But then again, I'm considered a "Crazy conspiracist" so I guess my opinion is mute.  :mellow:
     
  3. I agree. I feel slower now then I did a few years ago. When I'm high I'm definitely not firing on all cylinders haha.

    I don't see how this could effect legalization though? So it should be illegal because frequent users have a few less iq points? Do the same study on alcohol and tell me how it goes.
     
  4. #4 Yana Usdi, Nov 17, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 17, 2014
    I've seen individual studies that support everything from loss of IQ to stimulation of new brain cell growth, individual studies tend to be problematic because as was mentioned above you've got to control for every factor such as possible self treatment by people who already had problems to start with and other things of the sort. There's still enough debate on the issue that I'm not convinced either way. There might not even be a single answer, it seems likely that it might impact a still developing brain differently or more sharply than an adult brain.
     
    The one thing on the issue that does seem clear is that if there's an impact, positive or negative, it's probably small enough that it's hard to pin down either way. We didn't have these problems with tobacco because the evidence of damage there was clear. Here, not so much.
     
  5. So that means my 151 IQ is now 146....
     
    Seriously though this is ridiculous. I have been a hardcore smoker for 25+ years. I always broke the curve in high school, was the smartest in my class in college and now run my own business and its not a pot business. Its an engineering firm of sorts but thats all i will say here.
     
    Im so sick of the BS studies..
     
  6. It did not seem to state, or even test for, if the finding were causal or casual.
     
    IOW, are those with smaller frontal cortex areas predisposed to smoke?  Or did the smoking cause it?  They don't say.
     
    So until a study that follows a large group from say age 10 to 40 is published, these other studies just don't hold up.
     
  7. #7 Visionary, Nov 17, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 17, 2014
    BS study imo.  They don't definitively prove anything and even admit that their test doesn't account for all factors which could lower IQ.  Even if it's true have they seen what alcohol does to the brains of underaged drinkers?  What about the effect of football on the brains of our HS/College students? 
     
  8. Which is probably about half the IQ drop that one would get from watching thirty minutes of "Jersey Shore"...
     
  9. This. Does heavy marijuana use actually cause a drop in IQ, or are people with a slightly lower IQ just more likely to use it heavily?
     
    Do drugs cause problems for people, or are people with problems more apt to want to get high?
     
    The decreased size of the orbitofrontal cortex seems interesting, since it plays a role in things like decision making, risk and reward, compulsive behavior, etc. Some other drugs have been shown to cause a decrease in size and/or activity (which the latter doesn't seem to be stated in this article). It'd be more interesting to see before, during, and post heavy smoking and compare to the non-smoking population. 
     
    How did they come to the conclusion that increased connectivity stops after six years? Was the study even that long?
     
  10. Bullshit.
     
    Fuck Texas, and anything that comes from Texas regarding cannabis.
     
  11. All I read was "New study shows people are as dumb as ever and will say anything they want people to believe"
    If they, or anyone for that matter, thinks its bad for you, then good. They will never experience the most amazing plant in the world. I'm fine with that. More for everyone that isn't ignorant.
    I honestly think it's hilarious when people say its bad for you, just keep believing that and I'll keep getting blasted lol have fun with that boring as life without weed.
     
  12. NEW STUDY SHOWS THAT
    If you put "a new study shows" before anything
    that people will believe it. idiots.
     
  13.  
    Agreed.

    Will this get to the soccer moms? Hell yeah.

    Is the study full of shit? Hell yeah. 
     
  14. I don't believe there is a need to worry about these results. As stated in the original post, no other factors were utilized such as quality of life etc. If a person who smokes frequently has a lower IQ, it doesn't mean they're less intelligent. It simply means they didn't know the answer to questions they were being asked. If a person is good at one thing, but bad at another, it doesn't mean they are any less smart or capable of being successful.
     
    I'd be worried if the IQ numbers had a more dramatic difference; like the person who smokes regularly had an average IQ of 30 points less than the non-smoker.
     
    Studies have shown that even when mothers smoke while pregnant, the babies' IQ was higher than the mother's, and the baby had less of a chance of having colic, and the baby's brain activity was perfectly normal. This was a documentary I watched last year when writing an essay on Medical Marijuana and why it should be legalized.
     
     
     
  15. Damn Gina. Don't you know that Texas gets some of the best OG Kush in the south ;)? Don't hate so much!
     
  16. Small sample

    Study needs to account for all factors in a person's life that will cause lower iq

    Do the same study with random people who are not marijuana smokers and the results will be the same
     
  17. actually there is a study showing "conspiracy theorists" are not the crazy ones after all. ;)
     
    and 5 points?  who the hell cares bout 5 points and can it even be accurately measured in such a sloppy study, i don't think so.
     
    it's the end game for many things for our "star" government\\corporate moguls so i'm not surprised at their zealous attempts at trying to stay in power. star meaning they were supposed to be the best of the best, but turned out to be the worst of the worst, but we wont make that mistake again will we.
     

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