News (Media Awareness Project) - Canada: Smoking Pot No Risk To IQ, Study Says |
| Title: | Canada: Smoking Pot No Risk To IQ, Study Says |
| Published On: | 2002-04-02 |
| Source: | Globe and Mail (Canada) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-01-24 13:44:05 |
SMOKING POT NO RISK TO IQ, STUDY SAYS
Smoking Pot May Leave You Stoned, But It Apparently Won't Make You Stupid.
Researchers at Carleton University have found that people who smoke
moderate amounts of marijuana, even over a number of years, do not
experience decreases in IQ.
And while the IQ of current heavy smokers (more than five joints a week)
dips slightly, those losses do not seem to last over time. Former pot
smokers, no matter their intake, show no long-term decreases in
intelligence quotient.
"Marijuana does not have a long-term negative impact on global
intelligence," said Peter Fried, a professor of psychology at Carleton
University in Ottawa.
He cautioned, however, that more research is required to determine whether
smoking pot affects specific intelligence functions such as short-term
memory and attention span.
The study, published in today's edition of the Canadian Medical Association
Journal, is one of the first to look at the long-term impacts of marijuana
on young people who could be examined before and after they took up the habit.
Dr. Fried is director of the Ottawa Prenatal Prospective Study, which,
since 1978, has followed a group of people from birth onward. Their IQs
were tested at ages 9 to 12, and again at ages 17 to 20. For this aspect of
the research, a group of 74 subjects were questioned about marijuana use,
and urine tests were conducted to test for the presence of cannabinoids.
As preteens, the group had a mean IQ score of 113.8, and it rose to 116.4
as adults. Among light users of marijuana, scores rose almost six points in
that period, while among heavy smokers, scores fell by four points. Among
former users, IQ rose 3.5 points, regardless of previous levels of
marijuana use.
In the study, more than one in five of the young people smoked heavily --
more than five joints weekly, with an average of 14 joints a week. But
surprisingly, the former heavy users -- 37 joints weekly on average -- did
not seem to suffer intelligence impairment.
The psychologist said the results of his research are preliminary.
Smoking Pot May Leave You Stoned, But It Apparently Won't Make You Stupid.
Researchers at Carleton University have found that people who smoke
moderate amounts of marijuana, even over a number of years, do not
experience decreases in IQ.
And while the IQ of current heavy smokers (more than five joints a week)
dips slightly, those losses do not seem to last over time. Former pot
smokers, no matter their intake, show no long-term decreases in
intelligence quotient.
"Marijuana does not have a long-term negative impact on global
intelligence," said Peter Fried, a professor of psychology at Carleton
University in Ottawa.
He cautioned, however, that more research is required to determine whether
smoking pot affects specific intelligence functions such as short-term
memory and attention span.
The study, published in today's edition of the Canadian Medical Association
Journal, is one of the first to look at the long-term impacts of marijuana
on young people who could be examined before and after they took up the habit.
Dr. Fried is director of the Ottawa Prenatal Prospective Study, which,
since 1978, has followed a group of people from birth onward. Their IQs
were tested at ages 9 to 12, and again at ages 17 to 20. For this aspect of
the research, a group of 74 subjects were questioned about marijuana use,
and urine tests were conducted to test for the presence of cannabinoids.
As preteens, the group had a mean IQ score of 113.8, and it rose to 116.4
as adults. Among light users of marijuana, scores rose almost six points in
that period, while among heavy smokers, scores fell by four points. Among
former users, IQ rose 3.5 points, regardless of previous levels of
marijuana use.
In the study, more than one in five of the young people smoked heavily --
more than five joints weekly, with an average of 14 joints a week. But
surprisingly, the former heavy users -- 37 joints weekly on average -- did
not seem to suffer intelligence impairment.
The psychologist said the results of his research are preliminary.
Member Comments |
No member comments available...
