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[Salvadora]

First convincing evidence that cannabis has a different effect on young brains than on those of adults

Adolescents who are regular users of cannabis are at risk of permanent damage to their intelligence, attention span and memory, according to the results of research covering nearly four decades.

The long-term study which followed a group of over 1,000 people from birth to the age of 38 has produced the first convincing evidence, say scientists, that cannabis has a different and more damaging effect on young brains than on those of adults.

Around 5% of the group used cannabis at least once a week in adolescence or were considered dependent on it. Between the age of 13 and 38, when all members of the group were given a range of psychological tests, the IQ of those who had been habitual cannabis users in their youth had dropped by eight points on average.

Giving up cannabis made little difference – what mattered was the age at which young people began to use it. Those who started after the age of 18 did not have the same IQ decline.

"This work took an amazing scientific effort," said Professor Terrie Moffitt of King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry, one of the authors.

"We followed almost 1,000 participants, we tested their mental abilities as kids before they ever tried cannabis, and we tested them again 25 years later after some participants became chronic users.

"Participants were frank about their substance abuse habits because they trust our confidentiality guarantee, and 96% of the original participants stuck with the study from 1972 to today.

"It's such a special study that I'm fairly confident that cannabis is safe for over-18 brains, but risky for under-18 brains."

The research, on people in Dunedin, New Zealand, was carried out by researchers from King's College and Duke University, North Carolina in the United States and published online by PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences).

"Marijuana is not harmless, particularly for adolescents," said Madeline Meier from Duke, one of the researchers. While eight IQ points on a scale where the mean is 100 may not sound a lot, she said, a drop from 100 to 92 represents a move from the 50th to the 29th percentile. Higher IQs correlate with higher education and income, better health and a longer life.

"Somebody who loses eight IQ points as an adolescent may be disadvantaged compared to their same-age peers for years to come," Meier said. The study took into account the education of the participants, which can be disrupted by drug use.

The authors say that young people tend today to think that cannabis is harmless. "Increasing efforts should be directed toward delaying the onset of cannabis use by young people, particularly given the recent trend of younger ages of cannabis-use initiation in the United States and evidence that fewer adolescents believe that cannabis use is associated with serious risk," says the paper.

"The simple message is that substance use is not healthy for kids," said Avshalom Caspi, of Duke and King's, one of the leaders of the study. "That's true for tobacco, alcohol, and apparently for cannabis."

Robin Murray, professor of psychiatric research at King's, who was not involved in the study, said the paper was impressive and if the same results were found in other research, public education campaigns should be launched to warn of the dangers of cannabis to younger people. "The Dunedin sample is probably the most intensively studied cohort in the world and therefore the data is very good. The researchers, who I know well, are among the best epidemiologists in the world. Therefore, although one should never be convinced by a single study, I take the findings very seriously.

"There are a lot of clinical and educational anecdotal reports that cannabis users tend to be less successful in their educational achievement, marriages and occupations. It is of course part of folklore among young people that some heavy users of cannabis seem to gradually lose their abilities and end up achieving much less than one would have anticipated. This study provides one explanation as to why this might be the case."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2012/aug/27/cannabis-damaging-under-18s-study

 

[spiderman123]

LOL..Ill save this article

 

[kirblar]

Makes sense.

 

[Drewsky]

8 point lower IQ? Worth it.

 

[Izick]

But I thought weed was completely safe?

In before "slanted data to condemn weed!"

 

[Bulbo Urethral Baggins]

This isn't the first convincing evidence. There have been a lot of studies. There was a thread just a couple weeks ago with another study.

 

[Aguirre]

lies. all lies.

 

[Gattsu25]

But I thought weed was completely safe?

I've seen people suffer psychotic breaks after smoking some.

Nothing state of mind altering is completely safe and anyone telling you otherwise is either ignorant or withholding data.

 

[Ammish]

Isn't that like almost with any drug consumed by minors? It fucks up their growth development.

 

[Rubbish King]

Well seeing as i got diagnosed with DPD (De-personlization Disorder) at the age of 15 i cant help but agree, if you dont keep it in moderation it can fuck you right up..

 

[Mr. B Natural]

8. That's like, 2 or 3 more than 5, right?

 

[Labombadog]

I thought this was well known....?

Why would you take anything on a maturing brain around that age? That goes for any type of drugs including alcohol.

 

[Hieberrr]

I feel like a lot of kids that start at an early age just become lazy and stuff. Education, a lot of times, is the last thing on their minds.

 

[water_wendi]

I thought this was well known....?

Why would you take anything on a maturing brain around that age? That goes for any type of drugs including alcohol.

Thats what i thought.

 

[Nemo]

8 point lower IQ? Worth it.

My mang!!

 

[Salvadora]

I thought this was well known....?

The article mentions that it's the first convincing evidence they've received.

 

[hyduK]

I feel like a lot of kids that start at an early age just become lazy and stuff. Education, a lot of times, is the last thing on their minds.

And a lot of kids that start at an 'early' age don't become lazy.

There's also a lot of kids who don't do anything and are still lazy as shit.

 

[EdibleExplosives]

Wait, drugs can affect a person's brain if they're still growing? I feel like my whole life has been a lie.

 

[Atrus]

The article doesn't appear to state why or what processes are involved that makes it dangerous, particularly to developing minds or the extent by which some harm continues into adulthood.

The brain continues to develop for instance and doesn't really reach full maturity until the early to mid-20's, roughly around the same time a number of mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorders tend to appear. So it is unlikely that biological processes are limited by legal assumptions of adulthood (>18 vs <18)

It may very well be that Marijuana is always damaging and only varies by degree.

 

[I H8 Memes]

8. That's like, 2 or 3 more than 5, right?

It's 8 more than 5 dummy.

 

[DeathbyVolcano]

"Beer tastes like shit," says first-time 14 year old user.

 

[Forever]

Good thing I got started at 18.

 

[Hieberrr]

And a lot of kids that start at an 'early' age don't become lazy.

There's also a lot of kids who don't do anything and are still lazy as shit.

Relax, I'm not against marijuana

 

[xJavonta]

I'll send this to my friend. He pisses me off with his constant talk about how much he smoked or how high he was the other day. Doubt this will convince him to stop though.

 

[Izick]

I've seen people suffer psychotic breaks after smoking some.

Nothing state of mind altering is completely safe and anyone telling you otherwise is either ignorant or withholding data.

I know, and agree with you completely. I was being flippant about it.

 

[Riposte]

This explains my brother at least.

 

[Acid08]

I didn't start using regularly until I was 18, totally in the clear bros.

 

[Conciliator]

Hey hey hey hey

Smoke weed every day after you become an adult.

 

[spermatic cord]

All the more reason to legalize and regulate.

 

[BocoDragon]

I used since I was 14. Every time you read one of my dumb posts you know what to blame.

 

[Salvadora]

I didn't start using regularly until I was 18, totally in the clear bros.

You're still fucked.
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=486121

 

[pigeon]

I've seen people suffer psychotic breaks after smoking some.

Anybody who has a psychotic break after smoking pot was more than likely going to have a psychotic break at some point anyway.

 

[Htown]

I've seen people suffer psychotic breaks after smoking some.
Nothing state of mind altering is completely safe and anyone telling you otherwise is either ignorant or withholding data.

Basically my take on it.

 

[The Mana Legend]

Anything not made by the body that effects the brain will fuck up a brain that is still developing. Surprise?

 

[umop_3pisdn]

Anything not made by the body that effects the brain will fuck up a brain that is still developing. Surprise?

I would assume that there are exogenous substances that might improve brain development, and endogenous ones that hinder it.

 

[EdibleExplosives]

You're still fucked.
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=486121

And everyone who drinks alcohol will die from liver damage.

 

[Izick]

ITT: Weed smokers justifying smoking weed.

I don't care if you do it, I personally think it should be legal, but to say that it's safer than cigarettes, or safer than alcohol? Give me a break.

 

[EdibleExplosives]

ITT: Weed smokers justifying smoking weed.

I don't care if you do it, I personally think it should be legal, but to say that it's safer than cigarettes, or safer than alcohol? Give me a break.

I don't smoke weed either, but to say it isn't as safe as cigarettes or alcohol is hilarious.

 

[Gaborn]

That is a FANTASTIC argument for setting an age limit around 18 for legal marijuana usage.

 

[Kad5]

You're still fucked.
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=486121

The damage is still reversible if you lay off it for 30 days. But it also makes sense that developing brains shouldn't be smoking either.

Also, I agree with Gaborn.

 

[The Technomancer]

ITT: Weed smokers justifying smoking weed.

I don't care if you do it, I personally think it should be legal, but to say that it's safer than cigarettes, or safer than alcohol? Give me a break.

Its definitely safer then cigarettes, and I think studies like this are what drag it down to being maybe only as safe as alcohol.

(I've smoked once in my life)

 

[akira28]

But I thought weed was completely safe?

In before "slanted data to condemn weed!"

Well it is always Britain where most users mix with tobacco which is goddamn harsh. Plus tobacco not being meant to be held in like that, because it makes your head spin. So, yeah, I just wonder.

 

[Salvadora]

Its definitely safer then cigarettes, and I think studies like this are what drag it down to being maybe only as safe as alcohol.

(I've smoked once in my life)

Has anywhere near the amount of studies been done on the effects of cannabis usage compared to alcohol/cigarettes? We may simply not know enough.

 

[The Mana Legend]

That is a FANTASTIC argument for setting an age limit around 18 for legal marijuana usage.

Technically, it should be 21 since your brain is still developing.

But in terms of society, 18 makes a lot more sense since it'll just cause a gigantic, useless debate like the alcohol age debate.

 

[Izick]

I don't smoke weed either, but to say it isn't as safe as cigarettes or alcohol is hilarious.

I didn't say that though, I said that it isn't clearly safer than either.

Its definitely safer then cigarettes, and I think studies like this are what drag it down to being maybe only as safe as alcohol.

(I've smoked once in my life)

I don't know, I guess I'm just tired of friends telling me that it's completely safe and that's why they do it. This is going to sound like hyperbole, but I honestly feel like a lot of my friends who have smoked daily for several years now are clearly dumber; they definitely like have a lot slower reaction and processing time when just like talking. Kind of makes me sad.

 

[The Technomancer]

I don't know, I guess I'm just tired of friends telling me that it's completely safe and that's why they do it. This is going to sound like hyperbole, but I honestly feel like a lot of my friends who have smoked daily for several years now are clearly dumber; they definitely like have a lot slower reaction and processing time when just like talking. Kind of makes me sad.

Sure, and smoking daily will give you tar in your lungs and drinking (heavily) daily will give you liver damage. I'm not too huge of a fan of weed, I do think it has physiological effects like this study describes, but its almost certainly not as bad as cigarettes for your immediate health.

 

[SolarPowered]

ITT: Weed smokers justifying smoking weed.

I don't care if you do it, I personally think it should be legal, but to say that it's safer than cigarettes, or safer than alcohol? Give me a break.

It is safer than alcohol lol. Unless you are trying to get your smoke on in a room full of gas. <_<

 

[EdibleExplosives]

I don't know, I guess I'm just tired of friends telling me that it's completely safe and that's why they do it. This is going to sound like hyperbole, but I honestly feel like a lot of my friends who have smoked daily for several years now are clearly dumber; they definitely like have a lot slower reaction and processing time when just like talking. Kind of makes me sad.

Taking a drug daily is going to have a negative effect on you. From the amount of studies I've read, I still believe marijuana is safer than tobacco or alcohol, however to call it 'completely safe' is moronic.

 

[amrihua]

Excellent. I started doing it right before I turned 24.

All mind altering substances tend to be damaging to teens as their bodies are still developing.

 

[Like the hat?]

totally read it as Cannibals and I assumed it was because younger people were more tender.