Marijuana Smoking For Middle-Aged Men Can Actually Improve Mental Sharpness, Says Study

By Dennis Romero Wed., Jan. 4 2012 at 1:40 PM

Categories: WTF

Snoop Dogg is now 40, and he has nothing worry about.

Given the schizophrenic state of marijuana studies, we wouldn't blame if you just ignored the nerds and continued on with that joint.

It makes you drive better. It makes you crash.

It makes you insane in the membrane. It makes you slightly sharper.

Huh? That's right. That's the latest contention about L.A.'s favorite medicinal remedy in a new study published by the American Journal of Epidemiology:

Pot use actually appeared to improve "cognitive functioning" among the middle-aged men it examined.

Researchers looked at a whopping 8,992 men who used drugs, mainly marijuana, at age 42, and then again at age 50. They were given tests to determine their level of brain functioning. The study concluded:

A positive association was observed between ever (past or current) illicit drug use and cognitive functioning.

Reuters notes that " ... marijuana was by far the most common indulgence for the participants" of the study by Alex Dregan of King's College London.

Hell yeah, said the shaved-headed, 50-year-old creep who still has a bong and goes to raves. In your face, dad.

The study warns that heavy, long-term drug use could still be bad for your smarts and memory. But a little toke now and then with the boys? Eh.

An abstract of the study concludes:

At the population level, it does not appear that current illicit drug use is associated with impaired cognitive functioning in early middle age.

Whew.

[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]

Tags:

cannabis, dispensary, marijuana, memory, men, middle age, research, study

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Saharahj

finally! That's all I have to say!

Matthew Meyer

I wonder, if Dennis Romero were reporting on a study that suggested harms from cannabis consumption, would he soften its impact by noting first the 'dueling studies' phenomenon in cannabis science?

I wonder, would he preface his reading of the study's claim with "actually appeared," as in, "cannabis actually appeared to be related to Swiss Cheese Brain Syndrome"?

ZZardozz

If the US Govt. funds a cannabis study and publishes it, the objective is to prove that it's "bad" from the start, or they won't fund it.

However, when the US Govt. does a cannabis study that it does NOT release to the public, they keep it to themselves, and obtain a patent (6630507) which claims that cannabinoids are powerful neuroprotectants and antioxidants. Both sides of the federal mouth contradict each other. Now they are in the process of licensing this patent exclusively with ONE company. As I've said all along, it's all about the money, folks.

Mom You Seen My Bong?

Insane and Alert-- gotta love it.

Cali Norml

Tell us something we don't know.

joeyrockx

Yeah its just sooooo dangerous. At this point if you think the prohibition of marijuana should continue there is a fifty percent chance your retarded and another fifty percent chance you think boogers taste good.