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Meta at Science News reports on a new study (DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1516648113) still paywalled at PNAS:
Marijuana is used more than any other recreational drug, with recent trends toward greater social and legal acceptance in some regions. Concerns remain, however, about a possible causal relationship suggested in scientific studies between marijuana use and decline in IQ.
A new study from two longitudinal studies of twins, examine the link between marijuana use and IQ using data from more than three thousand individuals from Southern California and Minnesota.
The study by scientists from UCLA and the University of Minnesota focused on three criteria they proposed as measures for evidence of a direct causal relationship between marijuana use and cognitive decline.
- If marijuana use causes IQ decline, as opposed to merely being associated, then poor cognition scores should only be evident after use begins, and not before.
- If a causal link exists, a dose-response relationship would be expected.– that is, higher decline with heavier marijuana use.
- finally, if the relationship is causal, then the association of marijuana use and IQ decline should remain, even after accounting for genetic and social factors.
In tests of abstract reasoning and problem solving associated (called "fluid intelligence") showed no significant differences between uses and non users.
[more]
The study did find decreases in ability among marijuana users compared to non-users in the ability to use previously learned knowledge. (Vocabulary and Information retrieval, or so called "crystallized intelligence".)
The authors noted, however, that the baseline IQ scores of eventual users were already significantly lower in the affected areas.
Here, marijuana use does not precede cognitive decline, and they point out prior evidence that suggests other factors such as behavioral disinhibition and conduct disorder that may predispose individuals to both lower IQ and substance use.
(So criteria 1 above was not met).
The study also found no relationship between heavier or more frequent marijuana use and the magnitude of IQ decline.
(Criteria 2 was not met).
Finally, the authors examined the effects of outside factors associated with IQ decline. They found the decrease in Vocabulary scores was reduced in one study and "completely eliminated" in the other when adjusted for participants who self-reported binge drinking and use of other drugs.
(Criteria 3 also failed).
The authors conclude that taken together, the results provide "little evidence to suggest that adolescent marijuana use has any direct effect on intellectual decline".
(Score: 3, Informative) by darkfeline on Tuesday January 19 2016, @11:04PM
I think coffee/tea/energy drinks (caffeine) beats alcohol.
But alcohol is unique as there isn't a single culture, either primitive or modern, that doesn't revere it. Truly it is the water of life.
Join the SDF Public Access UNIX System today!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 20 2016, @12:05AM
Alcohol isn't looked upon well in many Indian states.
(Score: 2) by Absolutely.Geek on Wednesday January 20 2016, @01:24AM
A very good point; it is socially acceptable to consume caffeine whilst at work (I'm doing it right now); however consuming alcohol or THC at work would, I think, be frowned upon.
Don't trust the police or the government - Shihad: My mind's sedate.
(Score: 2) by mcgrew on Wednesday January 20 2016, @06:54PM
Well, DUH! Alcohol and pot impair your abilities, while caffeine doesn't and even enhances one's abilities.
Carbon, The only element in the known universe to ever gain sentience
(Score: 2) by hemocyanin on Wednesday January 20 2016, @01:54AM
30% of the world drinks coffee, 65% drinks tea (*), the remainder simply don't have access to either. Both have a long history, tea's is especially old.
(*) Statistics made up on the spot, but India and China must be nearly a quarter of the world population on their own.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 20 2016, @02:51AM
The Koran forbids alcohol consumption.
Mormonism forbids it too.
Is Mormonism a culture? (I know it's a cult.)
A 75 percent vote in the USA made it illegal nationwide 1919 - 1933.
-- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by tangomargarine on Wednesday January 20 2016, @03:01PM
Are you really OriginalOwner or just an AC being a dick and signing his name on your stuff to be petty?
If A) why not log in; if B) grow up.
"Is that really true?" "I just spent the last hour telling you to think for yourself! Didn't you hear anything I said?"
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday January 20 2016, @06:48PM
If you see something that includes that nym and is just an incoherent jumble of words (bot-generated purposely-injected noise), feel free to mark that as spam.
The string of posts which include that nym and use a particular 2-word phrase are also obvious spam.