The study decrease in IQ was for teenagers who smoked 4 days a week for three years. That’s most of their high school career. That might sound like a lot to you, but is actually, quite common now, especially in WA state, where medical marijuana is permitted, but now regulated. One of the local principals told me that they were sending at least one kid a day home for being high in class, claiming that they were smoking to ease the pain of a sore neck, bad back, sprained ankle, whatever.
I think that this study will pretty much end the discussion of legalized marijuana because there is no way to shield children from the effects of second hand smoke.
I’ve been wondering what effect other drugs have on developing minds, if marijuana can cause an 8 point drop in IQ. Eight points is a lot, when some of these kids are in double digits to begin with.
I think that this study will pretty much end the discussion of legalized marijuana because there is no way to shield children from the effects of second hand smoke.
Ive been wondering what effect other drugs have on developing minds, if marijuana can cause an 8 point drop in IQ. Eight points is a lot, when some of these kids are in double digits to begin with.
Yes it does sound like a lot. Attributing the same efffect to "second hand smoke" sounds insane.
I think inhalants (eg "huffing" paint) may be the worst in terms of brain damage. There's been some comments with regards to comparison of alcohol and marijuana mostly implying that this proves marijuana is more dangerous than alcohol, but to say that you'd need to compare these results to the results from a group of people who started drinking alcohol regularly as adolescents, basically getting drunk at least 4 days a week, every week for many years.