Cannabis smokers 'risk lower IQ'

[Urbain]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19372456

Young people who smoke cannabis for years run the risk of a significant and irreversible reduction in their IQ, research suggests.

The findings come from a study of around 1,000 people in New Zealand.

An international team found those who started using cannabis below the age of 18 - while their brains were still developing - suffered a drop in IQ

Discuss!

 

[StoneHappyMonday]

Don't wanna discuss. Just wanna say bollocks.

 

[psychodead]

what you mean if id stopped smoking weed id be some kind of genius right now? shit.

 

[Mailmonkey]

innit

 

[Cornishman]

Just heard this on the radio.

'Cannabis stupidity'.

 

[Allein]

I'd be interested to see a comparison to alcohol which is well established as a cause of long term conganative impairment.

I've not read the study info as yet but from what I heard it was based on someone using at least 4 times a week for sometime whilst they were under 18, personally I'm not that surprised that this could cause some issues but it's hardly a lobotomy.

IMHO using a phycoactive substance on a regular basis is bound to have some measurable effect, whether or not that effect is significant in the real world doesnt seem to be made clear in the information I've seen on this one so far. This just seem to show that we need to have better control over the distribution of such substances which, of course coul only really b achived through legalisation.

 

[Crack4Lyfe]

what you mean if id stopped smoking weed id be some kind of genius right now? shit.

No, you just wouldn't be as stupid!

 

[masaz]

I doubt it, though obviously cannot back this up. I started smoking pot at about fourteen, regularly at sixteen til now bar a year's break somewhere in my early 20s and I can't say it's affected my intelligence. If anything I'm more intelligent or at least more aware of how to use my intelligence but apparently this comes with stuff like aging and education? I have short term memory problems, quite bad ones but then I have a learning disorder too which affects memory so how much of that is down to pot and how much is just me being special I dunno. Admittedly I didn't notice problems with my memory before I started smoking weed but then I wasn't a very introspective teenager.

Basically, load of bollocks. I'd say the people I know who smoke weed are (with some exceptions) of above average intelligence. Maybe they did lose a few IQ points? It's not like their brains have suddenly been replaced by wool and IQ is a wholly subjective thing anyway. I'm not a thick cunt, far from it, but give me an IQ test with its weird pattern deciphering and guessing and I'm fucked.

 

[Mr Smokes Blunts.]

My favourite part of the study is where they state if you start above the age of 18 then it's "harmless". I know some people who are proper cabbaged from smoking weed from a very early age, it's obviously not good for a developing brain. It's a bit hard to call such a comprehensive study bollocks just because you don't want to believe the truth. It kind of makes you no better than people who think one puff turns anyone into a schizophrenic axe murderer.

 

[Mailmonkey]

i think it's a flawed study, but I've been smoking weed for years so what the fuck would I know.

Nice to see you back MSB

 

[Mr Smokes Blunts.]

Good to be back

What makes you think it's flawed? I'm rather impressed with the way they've tracked the cohort throughout their lives for more than 20 years. Interestingly you lose 6 IQ points if you aren't breast fed, I wonder if they'll make it the law that mothers must breast feed?

 

[Munroe]

I thought IQ tests only measured how good you are at those shitty IQ tests, rather than your actual intellect anyway?

 

[leaf2834]

^Exactly.
This 'study' is stating the obvious. The physiological effects of smoking are ambiguous (probably fictional), but I definitely don't become intellectually vigorous after long green-binges. Likewise, TV doesn't have any known brain-fucking properties, but if you collect 1000 kids who have watched 'Jersey Shore' throughout their formative years you might conclude that TV decreases IQ.

 

[Mr Smokes Blunts.]

I thought IQ tests only measured how good you are at those shitty IQ tests, rather than your actual intellect anyway?

They measure how good you are at problem solving and abstract thinking. A lot of people say they aren't useful because they don't measure things like emotional IQ. They are pretty good predictors of where you're going in life. Or indeed where you are in life. For instance you're unlikely to go to a specialist at the hospital and look across the table at someone with an IQ of 80.

 

[StoneHappyMonday]

My favourite part of the study is where they state if you start above the age of 18 then it's "harmless".

Really? Then I reckon that makes you

no better than people who think one puff turns anyone into a schizophrenic axe murderer.

She doesn't even say 'relatively' harmless, least not in any interview I've heard with her today.

The whole thing is flawed because her conclusions are judged solely on this IQ bollocks (whose worth we're just going to have to agree to disagree on MSB).

Heavy use is also defined as 'more often than not' ie 4 days a week or more. I'm still unclear as to WHEN this applies. I'd suggest she's working from a VERY small base if this is meant to apply to under 18's. 30 years ago it was not even in British drug culture, let alone the Kiwis, for adolescent kids to be toking that much. At best its a phenomenon here that only started in the late 80's/early 90's.

For the record, I believe over-use of any drug is not going to be good for a developing mind. But for a whole host of reasons not limited to bloody culturally specific IQ tests.

Flawed study.

 

[Mr Smokes Blunts.]

Really? Then I reckon that makes you



She doesn't even say 'relatively' harmless, least not in any interview I've heard with her today.

The whole thing is flawed because her conclusions are judged solely on this IQ bollocks (whose worth we're just going to have to agree to disagree on MSB).

Heavy use is also defined as 'more often than not' ie 4 days a week or more. I'm still unclear as to WHEN this applies. I'd suggest she's working from a VERY small base if this is meant to apply to under 18's. 30 years ago it was not even in British drug culture, let alone the Kiwis, for adolescent kids to be toking that much. At best its a phenomenon here that only started in the late 80's/early 90's.

For the record, I believe over-use of any drug is not going to be good for a developing mind. But for a whole host of reasons not limited to bloody culturally specific IQ tests.

Flawed study.

The study shows that regular use of cannabis does not impair cognitive abilities in those who begin after brain development. One person has science on their side, the other has their fingers in their ears shouting la la la. I think we know which side you are on.

 

[brimz]

Really? Then I reckon that makes you



She doesn't even say 'relatively' harmless, least not in any interview I've heard with her today.

The whole thing is flawed because her conclusions are judged solely on this IQ bollocks (whose worth we're just going to have to agree to disagree on MSB).

Heavy use is also defined as 'more often than not' ie 4 days a week or more. I'm still unclear as to WHEN this applies. I'd suggest she's working from a VERY small base if this is meant to apply to under 18's. 30 years ago it was not even in British drug culture, let alone the Kiwis, for adolescent kids to be toking that much. At best its a phenomenon here that only started in the late 80's/early 90's.

For the record, I believe over-use of any drug is not going to be good for a developing mind. But for a whole host of reasons not limited to bloody culturally specific IQ tests.

Flawed study.

Flawed like to fuk . Who knows what other stuff the study group were doing smoking crack , drinking liqour etc . I mean it all sound good for your average fukwit Daily Mail cunt .
IRL Bollox doesn't prove anything

 

[Mr Smokes Blunts.]

Flawed like to fuk . Who knows what other stuff the study group were doing smoking crack , drinking liqour etc . I mean it all sound good for your average fukwit Daily Mail cunt .
IRL Bollox doesn't prove anything

Did you read the article, let alone the study? They factored in use of other drugs...

 

[StoneHappyMonday]

One person has science on their side, the other has their fingers in their ears shouting la la la. I think we know which side you are on.

Do you find debate without insult so hard?

Every fucking time. It's why I quoted you in the first place ("Then you're like an axe-murderer blah blah blah")

Not welcome back.

 

[StoneHappyMonday]

One person has science on their side, the other has their fingers in their ears shouting la la la. I think we know which side you are on.

For the record, I believe over-use of any drug is not going to be good for a developing mind. But for a whole host of reasons not limited to bloody culturally specific IQ tests.

I'm not on any 'side'. I leave division to you, you're very good at it.