There was something I wanted to say about this story, but I don’t seem to be able to remember what it was. Oh, well, never mind.
Adding a new twist to the debate over the effects of marijuana, Greek researchers say the minds of long-term pot smokers don’t process things as well as those of other people.
People who smoked at least four joints a week performed worse on a variety of mental tests, including those measuring memory, attention and verbal fluency. And those who smoked for more than 10 years had the most problems of all, the researchers report in the March 14 issue of Neurology.
The study doesn’t definitively link marijuana use to the cognitive problems, and it’s possible that other factors could be to blame. Prior research has also offered conflicting findings about the mental effects of marijuana.
Still, the findings suggest that chronic pot smoking isn’t a good idea over the long term, said Barbara Flannery, a drug and alcohol researcher who’s familiar with the findings. “The longer you smoke marijuana, the more likely you are to experience a diminution of cognitive functions that are critical for ‘normal’ daily functioning,” she said.
I’m joking (of course).
