We're all familiar with the pot-smoker stereotype. He’s the goofy but harmless "dude" who smiles a lot and seems to take an extra long time to come up with answers. How accurate is this image?
If you think marijuana is a harmless drug, you should know that research shows that smoking marijuana actually does have a physical affect on your brain. It can cause a change in its physical structure, and those physical changes affect your thinking abilities and your test scores.
Marijuana in your system disrupts the circulation system's ability to regulate itself. It impairs the tiny blood vessels inside your brain, and that damage affects the flow of blood. Instead of flowing smoothly in your brain, the blood squirts through more rapidly, much like it does in people with dangerously high blood pressure.
What is the impact on your thinking and behavior? Repeated use brings about symptoms very similar to those of people who suffer from schizophrenia. Symptoms include lingering feelings of suspiciousness and paranoia. And the effects can be permanent.
Studies show that smoking marijuana can increase your risk of developing serious psychotic illness. Smokers are 41 percent more likely to suffer from delusions, hallucinations, depression, suicidal thoughts, and anxiety.
One test involved taking actual images of the brains of heavy cannabis users and comparing them to brains of non-users. This study provided evidence that long-term cannabis use caused abnormalities in the hippocampus, the part of the brain that is thought to regulate emotion and memory. It also affected the amygdala, which is involved with managing our feelings of fear and aggression.
When it comes to studying and taking tests, marijuana has an extremely negative effect on your performance. Marijuana use causes problems with memory and attention and it reduces your ability to respond to questions clearly and quickly.
Sources:
American Academy Of Neurology. "Marijuana Use Affects Blood Flow In Brain Even After Abstinence." ScienceDaily 13 February 2005. 7 June 2008 <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/02/050211084701.htm>.
AMA and Archives Journals. "Long-term Cannabis Users May Have Structural Brain Abnormalities." ScienceDaily 3 June 2008. 7 June 2008 <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080602160845.htm>.
Cardiff University. "Cannabis Could Increase Risks Of Psychotic Illness By 40 Percent." ScienceDaily 1 August 2007. 7 June 2008 <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/07/070731125526.htm>.
Yale University. "Study Finds Cannabis Triggers Transient Schizophrenia-like Symptoms." ScienceDaily 15 June 2004. 7 June 2008 <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/06/040615075809.htm>.
