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HOW DOES MARIJUANA AFFECT THE BRAIN?
Biology 202
2004 First Web
Paper
On Serendip
HOW DOES MARIJUANA AFFECT THE BRAIN?
AKUDO EJELONU
Pot, weed, grass, ganja and skunk, are some of the common words used to describe the dried leaves drug known as marijuana. Marijuana is a cannabis plant that is "usually smoked or eaten to entice euphoria." (1). Throughout the years, there has been research on the negative and positive effects of marijuana on the human body and the brain. Marijuana is frequently beneficial to the treatment of AIDS, cancer, glaucoma, multiple sclerosis, and chronic pain. However, researchers such as Jacques-Joseph Moreau have been working to explain how marijuana has harmful affects on the functions of central nervous system and hinders the memory and movement of the user's brain. The focus of my web paper is how the chemicals in marijuana, specifically cannabinoids and THC have an effect on the memory and emotions of a person's central nervous system.
Marijuana impinges on the central nervous system by attaching to brain's neurons and interfering with normal communication between the neurons. These nerves respond by altering their initial behavior. For example, if a nerve is suppose to assist one in retrieving short-term memory, cannabinoids receptors make them do the opposite. So if one has to remember what he did five minutes ago, after smoking a high dose of marijuana, he has trouble. Marijuana plant contains 400 chemicals and 60 of them are cannabinoids, which are psychoactive compounds that are produced inside the body after cannabis is metabolized or is extorted from the cannabis plant. Cannabinoids is an active ingredient of marijuana. The most psychoactive cannabinoids chemical in marijuana that has the biggest impact on the brain is tetrahydrocannibol, or THC. THC is the main active ingredient in marijuana because it affects the brain by binding to and activating specific receptors, known as cannabinoid receptors. "These receptors control memory, thought, concentration, time and depth, and coordinated movement. THC also affects the production, release or re-uptake (a regulating mechanism) of various neurotransmitters."(2) Neurotransmitters are chemical messenger molecules that carry signals between neurons. Some of these affects are personality disturbances, depression and chronic anxiety. Psychiatrists who treat schizophrenic patient advice them to not use this drug because marijuana can trigger severe mental disturbances and cause a relapse.
When one's memory is affected by high dose of marijuana, short-term memory is the first to be triggered. Marijuana's damage to short-term memory occurs because THC alters the way in which information is processed by the hippocampus, a brain area responsible for memory formation. "One region of the brain that contains a lot of THC receptors is the hippocampus, which processes memory."(3) Hippocampus is the part of the brain that is important for memory, learning, and the integration of sensory experiences with emotions and motivation. It also converts information into short-term memory. "Because it is a steroid, THC acts on the hippocampus and inhibits memory retrieval."(4) THC also alters the way in which sensory information is interpreted. "When THC attaches to receptors in the hippocampus, it weakness the short-term memory,"(5) and damages the nerve cells by creating structural changes to the hippocampus region of the brain. When a user has a high dose of marijuana, new information does not register into their brain and this may be lost from memory and they are not able to retrieve new information for more than a few minutes. There is also a decrease in the activity of nerve cells.
There are two types of memory behavior that is affected by marijuana, recognition memory and free cells. Recognition memory is the ability to recognize correct words. Users can usually recognize words that they previous saw before smoking but claim to recognize words that they did not previously see before smoking. This mistake is known as memory intrusions. Memory intrusions are also the consequence of THC affecting the free cell of the brain. "Marijuana disrupts the ability to freely recall words from a list that has been presented to an intoxicated subject."(6) For example, if a list of vocabulary words presented to the intoxicated subject and few minutes later, they have to recall the words that were on the list. The only words that they remember are the last group of words and not the words that are in the beginning of the list. This is an initiation that their memory storage has been affected. "The absence of an effect at short term delay times indicates that cannabinodis did not impair the ability to perform the basic task, but instead produce a selective learning and/or memory deficit."(7) I did a study with two college students (Student A and Student B) who both smoke marijuana every other week. This particular study was done an hour before, while and after they were under the influence of the drug. Student A was watching television before she smoked marijuana, was asked which advertisement was splayed before the show started and she got four out of five of her answers correct. After this first section, she smoked a small dose of marijuana twice within an hour. Fifteen minutes after she smoked her last blunt, she continued her regular activity of watching sitcoms. When a commercial would come on, I would ask her simple questions like what happened before the show went to a commercial break. Her responses would be macro-answers about what was going on but when I asked her what the main character was wearing, she did not remember. This was ironic because the protagonist wore a bright yellow suit that my friend commenting on earlier when the show began ten minutes ago. Her short-term memory is weakening because she was only able to remember big picture information and not small picture. Though the results are interesting, I know that I would have had different response on someone else because it depends on how often the user smokes and if they have good memory prior to smoking weed.
Marijuana also impairs emotions. When smoking marijuana, the user may have uncontrollable laughter one minute and paranoia the next. This instant change in emotions has to do with the way that THC affects the brain's limbic system. The limbic system is another region of the brain that governs one's behavior and emotions. It also "coordinates activities between the visceral base-brain and the rest of the nervous system."(8) I am now going to use Students B to describe how emotions are affected by marijuana. Students B is an articulate and well spoken young woman who has a troublesome relationship with her best friends which gets her upset and tense up. But after she smoked one high dose weed, her body was relaxed however, she had trouble formulating her thoughts clearly and would talk in pieces and was jubilant. It has been researched that a person needs to have high dose of marijuana would be in the state of euphoria. High dose of marijuana is measured as "15mg of THC can cause increased heart rate, gross motor disturbances, and can lead to panic attacks."(9) Thankfully, Student A did not experience any of these extreme examples.
College students usually smoke marijuana because they are stressed over schoolwork and feel that marijuana can help them unwind. I have encountered marijuana smokers who are chilled and have no worries in the world but after the effect of the drug wears off, they're sometimes capable to tacking their problem or at the original state that they were in before the drug. The effects of happiness that marijuana usually cause to the user is not a lasting effect because even though a user smokes weed to get away from the troubles of his/her own life, they still have to face these problems after the effects of the drug wears-off. In a survey with college student, an organization called, parents: the Anti-Drug interviewed college students and found that "compared to the light users, heavy marijuana users made more errors and had more difficulty sustaining attention."(10) This was evident through my second experiment with Student B but not everyone who smoke high doses of marijuana experience the same affect.
The chemicals in marijuana bring cognitive impairment and troubles with learning for the user. "Smoking [marijuana] causes some changes in the brain that are like those caused but cocaine, heroin, and alcohol. Some researchers believe that has changes may put a person more at risk of becoming addicted to other drugs such a cocaine and heroin."(11) To prevent such harm, one must be cautious of their actions. Those who do not do drugs do not risk harm. So please the next day you light up, remember you that you central nervous system and brain will be at risk.
2)Marijuana: The Brain's Response to Drugs, A Good Web Source
3)Mind Over Matter: Marijuana Series, A Good Web Source
4)Alcohol Addiction & The Limbic System, A Good Web Source
5)Marijuana: The Brain's Response to Drugs, A Good Web Source
6)Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Learning and Memory Impairments Produced by Cannabinoids, A Good Web Source
7)Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Learning and Memory Impairments Produced by Cannabinoids, A Good Web Source
8)Marijuana and the Brain by John Gettman. High Times, March, 1995, A Good Web Source
9)Alcohol Addiction & The Limbic System, A Good Web Source
10)Parents. The Anti-Drug. -- Drug Information, A Good Web Source
11)Marijuana: Marijuana Brain Effects, A Good Web Source
Comments made prior to 2007
I smoked pot straight now since I was 13 years old Im
25 now I smoke it everyday literally through a Bong. I do not smoke
well im at work but as soon as im off and for the remainder of the
evening till I end up going to bed I do smoke. Now I read your page
about the effects pot has on short term memory and brain function,
Since I started smoking pot my asthma has vanished my grades went up in
school my mind learns at quicker rates and my short term memory is far
from gone There isnt much I forget about, unless it is because of my
selective memory. Were the people that you tested on already marijuana
smokers and also there are diff things to be taken into consideration
when testing a substance for example the way it was grown marijuana has
to be grown with nutrients and fertalizers to become potent enough to
smoke for a high but when people use these fertilizers and such they
sometimes do not leech the foods out from the plants which could lead
to all kinds of bad side effects Im wondering if this kind of
inforamtion is taken into consideration when giving test subjects
marijuana to smoke or ingest.
I have no side effects other than a burnt out feeling after smoking all
nite, and in teh morning of course but no brain problems like teh ones
your website describes ... Chris, 7 July 2006
Yeah...i disagree on a lot of things that you have to say about this. Like for one some of the things you mentioned only happen while you're high, but after the high goes away those things do as well. Marijuana is not addicting like other hard drugs or alcohol. Also marijuana helps people with ADD, makes them focus better, and sometimes learn better. Sometimes when you smoke your nerves are more dull, but sometimes they can be more alive, so to speak. You need to know that everybody reacts to marijuana differently. So these test that your doing don't go for everybody. You need to let people know that or else thats kind of false information. Something that really got to me is when you were talking about how people do it to relax and get their mind of things and once the highs gone all the problems come back. Well once again everybody reacts differently to marijuana. A lot of people when there high talk a lot about there problems and life in general. What I'm getting at here is that while their high they can figure out there problems because being high brings you into a new type of world and you think about everything more carefully. It's like it opens up your brain and lets you think more into your thoughts and about whats going on. A lot of times they can solve their problems like that, especially when there is someone there with them to talk to. Marijuana also brings people together. I know someone who hated a bunch of people, but then one day ended up smoking with them. Next thing she knew, they were all the best of friends. I know a group of people and within that group you've got your "gangster" type, Punk type, goth type, preppy type, hick type, and the list just keeps going. All of them probably wouldn't even talk if it wasn't for marijuana bringing them together. I have a lot more to say but, I'm not going to because I have pretty much proved my point. Also marijuana brings the creativeness out in people. Some of the greatest authors, poets, music artist, painters, and so on, get their great ideas or create there masterpieces by being high.
P.S I would also like to add that I am a chronic user and I could remember your whole entire report on it. I also have excellent grades in school, in fact better than when I didn't smoke. I also would just like to add one more thing: You will not understand or ever be able to know how or what marijuana does to you unless you do it yourself. Trust me I once was all anti-marijuana and always said that it does all these bad things to you and blah blah blah. Well now I actually know how it really does make people feel because I have experienced it and everything there is in that type of world.
P.S.S I do agree with a few things that you had to say ... Jen, 9 November 2006
Hi, I really found this information very useful because it IS a misconvention among most of the college/university goers that marijuana increases concentration and increases the work capacity of an individual. I personally believe that it DOES increase the work capacity of the abuser to some extent, that's when the drug abuser is not in a "stoned" state of mind, but then too, what is at stake is the brain and central nervous system malfunctioning, which degrades the intellectual, job and social skills. So in my opinion, it's not a good deal ... Ankur Gupta, 25 February 2007
allright tell me something if you say a list of say 20-30 vocabulary words and you were asked to read them over, then you were asked say 5 minutes later to remember as many of those words as you can, do you really think you'll be able to do that? no i bet if you asked 100 people to do that that around 90% of them wouldnt be able to do it.
also riddle me this batman, how many people die each year from drunk driving accidents? now dont im pretty sure you've been drunk, and maybe once smoked pot in your life right? well which had a more sever affect the weed or the alcohol? yeah the alcohol!
im a stoner i will proudly say that. but if i have the choice between alcohol and weed i'd take weed anyday. i've driven high that isnt a problem. when im high i drive a little slower then normal and im lookin for the nearest 7-11.
weed isnt a drug it has no addictive characteristics what so ever!!! ciggaretes kill more people then alchol,guns,and pissed off husbands who come home early.
now weed doesnt lead to other drugs what so ever, i've been smokin the stuff everyday for the past 4 years and i have yet to even think about trying other drugs. if mother nature didnt want us to smoke it she wouldnt have put it here!
its as simple as that!! ... Reader on the web, 21 July 2007
Hello, I was told about this site as a friend of mine was completing a research paper. As I looked over it, there seems to be lots of misinformation involved, and my friend has abandoned this site. I wouldn't mind if you read through all of my message carefully. To start off, the following statement is not backed by any scientific evidence what so ever. "Marijuana impinges on the central nervous system by attaching to brain's neurons and interfering with normal communication between the neurons." This has been proven to be false on multiple occasions since the 1970's. Cannabinoids to not not impinge on the nervous system what so ever, this isn't lysergic acid we're dealing with. "Marijuana plant contains 400 chemicals and 60 of them are cannabinoids" This quote right here is misleading. Every plant is comprised of hundreds of chemicals. In fact, they're not even chemicals, they're just substances that comprise the plants' structure. Also, the majority of cannabinoids that are also found in cannabis are produced by the body naturally. Also regarding cannabinoid receptors. "These receptors control memory, thought, concentration, time and depth, and coordinated movement. THC also affects the production, release or re-uptake (a regulating mechanism) of various neurotransmitters." This is simply false, I do not know where this source came from. Your brain does not use cannabinoid receptors for memory, thought, or concentration. Next,saying that "When one's memory is affected by high dose of marijuana, short-term memory is the first to be triggered." is also blatantly false. Marijuana does not directly impact memory, but short term memory only when high off of THC or CBD is affected because the user may be 'distracted' if you will from the plant it self. Also, referring to a 'high dose' of marijuana is ridiculous. There is no such thing as a high dose of Cannabis because there is no possible way to overdose. It is strictly impossible. The most obnoxious quote that i've read from this site is, "Marijuana also impairs emotions. When smoking marijuana, the user may have uncontrollable laughter one minute and paranoia the next." I cannot believe that this would even be published. MARIJUANA DOES NOT CHANGE A USERS STATE OF MIND. PEOPLE CAN MAKE THE SAME RATIONAL DECISIONS AS THEY WOULD WHEN NOT USING THE PLANT. PERIOD. I am actually appalled by what I've read here, and I'm even more appalled by the sources you've used. Unlike true informational sites, you've only used web sources. That is completely absurd. If you look at any reasonable fact site about Cannabis you will see that the sources that are used are mainly from published books and factual citations. Please realize that much of what is on this web page is completely false and misleading. I wouldn't mind hearing a response soon to defend your case ... Spiros Thomas, 7 November 2007
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| This paper reflects the research and thoughts of a student at the time the paper was written for a course at Bryn Mawr College. Like other materials on Serendip, it is not intended to be "authoritative" but rather to help others further develop their own explorations. Web links were active as of the time the paper was posted but are not updated. |
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Comments
well weed is what it is
there are not alot of people who just let people do what there foing to do but if your bf is smoking potu must not bedoing something right i smoke and love tu smoke to let you know that men and women and even my mom smokes itsa easy way to ese ur mindand not use chemicals weed is addictive that i can agree on but fuvk it its so good
Smoke Pot
I started smoking Pot about 4.5 months ago, and it is one of the best decisions I have ever down in my life. I am a average 18 year old punk that had nothing going for me in life but I started to smoke Pot one day. Life just seems to get easier and easier grades are looking better, Life is getting easier, more things make since to me. Now I am 18 but has alot of things going for me. Let's Get High ☮
WTF
Your A dumb ass don't get high you loser you gonna fucking kill your self.
haha
sorry, just had to laugh at that one.
marijuana has never killed anyone.
total fact dude, look it up.
Life with-out weed
I've read everything on this page. In my life I may have smoked 1 or 2 joints. It never appealed to me. Anything that made me just sit still , wasn't what I was looking for. One thing for sure is, there are smokers and Non-smokers, People who smoke will defend it and those of us who don't wonder why they smoke it. We all need to relax , but for the entire day is absurd and abusive. We don't like to see our kids stoned. I need to get to my point..see how quickly I have come to that decision without all the blau blau blau?. Im 47. Ive worked hard all my life and have always BEEN THERE when someone needs my help, My son has become a fan of weed, he's breaking my heart. I'm close to my kids too. The time he had spent with his friends at school was just more than the time I could spend with him. He works with me now and lives with me. we are actually close as friends would be. Weed is winning out over our friendship. He stays gone all weekend to hang with his buddies. when he comes home he looks like he's been through hell. His body is under attack from his addiction to weed. We are losing the father and son bond. Im on this site to figure out what I can do. I realize all the dope smokers figure I should just join him..sorry you think that way. sorry I can't think that way. Its just a big sorry situation when it comes to those who do and those who don't. I grew up in the 60's and 70's were the smell of weed filled the air daily. Its no big deal for the smokers, but when your not stoned its hard to deal with someone jacked up on it. My son had decided one day to run to the bathroom, I went in there later to go myself, it smelled of weed, then its like me and him can't communicate suddenly. We are carpenters, when I say I need a block 14 and 3/8's long and you can't remember the number, then there is a problem. Now we look like idiots. I think folks that like pot should smoke pot. but do it when nothing else in influenced by it and you. years ago a man on the news was asked to watch his small sister of 5..he ended up stoned on the couch and she ended up at the bottom of there pool. not a great picture for us to imagine.Of course there are those folks that say " It wasn't weed that caused that or why is weed depicted as the cause or fault"..you Know? defend it all day, sit on your ass all day..while some of you are sitting there wasting your days just stay out of the way of us who have a life.
to the guy whose son smokes weed
i would make sure that weed is all he is doing. if you say he looks like he has been through hell then i would try to find out if he is doing harder drugs. i know lots of potheads and most of them smoke all the time but they are still cool to hang out with even when i'm not high. i know a few kids who are into harder drugs and they really do look rough most of the time. The only time i have seen relationships break up as fast as you are saying is when harder drugs are involved. just something you might want to look into. i wish you luck though because i know what its like to have a father son relationship broke up because of drugs. (i was the son tho). good luck
temperance
Like all mind-altering substances, cannabis can be dangerous. It's not dangerous to the individual directly, but the effects can cause behavior which can be dangerous, like the person who leaves a young child unattended.
But this can be said of almost any substance, and what you need to speak to your son about is TEMPERANCE.
He is an adult, and he wants you to understand that he chooses to use cannabis, and not harass him about that choice. If you show him that you are more concerned about occasional over-indulgence, and not the manageable use of cannabis, he will probably see you in a less antagonistic light.
I learned about temperance from my father, and I think that if he'd reacted the way you are reacting (extremely negatively), I would have been less likely to develop the objectivity I had as a teenager regarding my use of drugs, and who knows where I'd be today.
Don't blame him, don't blame the drug. Start the conversation, and if you make it clear he'll see that you aren't looking down on him, or antagonizing him...
he'll see you just care about his well-being, and will reflect on his drug use. Hopefully then he'll cut down.
Addiction
I have lived with somone who uses for 22 years. he cannot remember simple things he will go to the shops for sugar and onions he will come back with the onions. Also he is so moody when he has not had his first smoke I hide it from him so I can give him some when has run out. He never finishes any thing he starts and he has not had a decent job in all the 20 years that I have known him and yes I have heard all the arguments, THE ONES ABOUT IT NOT BEING A DRUG BLAH BLAH.It slows your sex drive down eventually and he now has emphazema and he smokes a arm a week. Yes it is cheap where I come from so no biggie. but he sits around wasting time smoking all day. He cannot go out before he has a smoke or go to bed without a smoke basically he has to have a smoke before he does anything. He has a family that loves him but he would rather forsake doing anything that does not allow him to smoke pot, IE for a few hours he cannot go to the beach or visit someone without making sure he has his toke around. So thats whats happens and YOU think it improves your grades and BLAH BLAh. Just remember when you land up smoking it as much as ciggies. You become slightly pychocotic and see and conspiracies every where. Just know when to quit
Smoke with your son-
If you feel that this one thing has taken time / friendship away from you & your son why don't you try smoking with him? I personally am not a "pot smoker" however, I don't see anything wrong with it, in fact I've seen it help many people in my life focus better on grades, projects, work, etc...I vote to legalize it whenever it comes up & it always wins by big numbers but, our Government turns it down! Stupid really, If you think about it, it would make our money for our States!!! I think the Government needs to really smoke a hootie & just legalize it already. I say smoke with the boy or at least let him stay home and smoke it- Good luck!
Weed did this too me!!!
I have been smoking for about a year now and I do smoke frequently. My first experience with Marijuana was fun I sat in a shack with two friends didnt over smoke I kept it a little more then moderate and it was great watched "Rejected" on youtube, laughed, talked and, drank some booz all fun and games. Second time was not so good after I smoked my stomache hurt extreamly my eyes were sensitive to the lights in the garadge and I threw my stomach up (mediphoraclly) but there were reasons behind this, mabey cause I smoked Hookah for 5 hours and ate 3 plates of enchiladas. I love life and try to open my eyes to the world as it's supose to be seen and not how we make it. I am 19 years of age, after high school I havent accomplished much I am pretty lazy but non of this comes from marijuana, I have always been lazy i'm not addicted but if I have it I will smoke it. I'm just trying to let people know that everyone has there limitations and reactions but other factors might come into play with there "bad trips" most likely you were scared or nervous dont blame the marijuana blame yourself and get over it. Have fun dont over think it.
10th grade went to the creek
10th grade went to the creek with my friend pulls out a dub Hey wanna torch I'm like oh fuck okay. this like the 6th time I smoked, first time outta blunt (usually used bong/joints. Now when you smoka da blunta supposed to suck in your mouth before you breathe it into da lungs. Hit that blunt like a bong, FELT LIKE I WAS SWALLOWING FIRE. Coughed like a fuckin pansy for about 10 minutes, started rambling incoherently on the ground. My friends like...wtf. I literally saw myself from space and made a movie about watching myself from space. in my head. Got up covered in hay eyes looked like got pepper sprayed faded that weed defines underrated. yeah. now im high agin
Pot changed me, for the better!
This is my first year in college. When I met my roommaes, they seemed pretty chill, but we didn't talk or hang out. For weeks, our only exchange of words were the usual "hey, whats up," or just plain "hey." We greeted each other in the morning, but then everyone went to class, came back and went straight to their room. I never did any drugs or drink alcohol before this year, not even in high school!--sad, I know. I had few friends that I spent time with, but I was never really social with anyone. I'm not the kind of person that "breaks the silence" in awkward moments or starts a conversation. I was very timid and shy, and I was afraid of talking to a new person. After some time, one of my roommates came forth and said he smoked weed; he asked whether it was okay with us if he did that. I didn't mind and neither did my other roommates. One day, he asked if anyobody wanted to "rip a bong" and I was skeptical at first, but I thought since my other roommates complied, this would be a great opportunity to make friends with them. Besides, I didn't want to feel left out or excluded. We gathered in the living room, set up a fan and I watched my roommate "load a bowl." I didn't know the terms for weed and I had never seen it, besides tv. When I first hit the bong, I felt a burn in my throat. I didn't feel high until 5 minutes after smoking. We all laughed and talked and shared stories about other friends. I never felt so good and confident to talk to anyone. I was talking as if I had known them for years. I was really surprised. I could still think well and I was in full control of my actions (not like booz), but I felt really good. We smoked more the following days and we watched comedy movies like "Grandma's Boy" that seemed stupid to me otherwise. When I was high, they seemed like the funniest thing ever. Long story short, I met many great people through my roommates and we are very close now. We go out together, we eat together and we sometimes study together. I'll never forget the words of my roommate the first time we smoked. "This is roommate bonding," he said. Indeed it was. I averaged a 3.04 GPA and I'm a computer science and engineering major. My roommates are all science and engineering majors as well. We know our priorities. First school, then pot. We smoke everyday, except before exams or finals. Greatest choice I ever made. Haha, all those years of hearing the "anti-drug" ads and "Don't do drugs" speeches. Bull! As long as you are smart and responsible, you can get high as much as you want. It's healthier than alcohol and tobbacco!
pot done good for me too
pot has done me very good it has helped me immensley to get thru my everyday life im actually stoned rite now as i reply to your story the feeling of smoking pot is very relaxing ok i havent said much course im stoned
dude...don't give them
dude...don't give them ammunition. If you cannoy speak on it...don't.
I did it once
Recently, I smoked pot for the first time. I laughed uncontrollably at absolutely NOTHING. My friend is like "focus on my hand" and I'm just laughing my ass off for no real reason, and I can't focus on his hand. He's like "your tripping balls man" and I just kept laughing at nothing. Then when I finally focused on his hand, he shouted and I'm like "aaaahhhh" then we laugh. Man pot is crazy lol.
I'm a doctor
And I smoked weed throughout med school, since I was 15 in fact, and now I have two young kids and my wife hates it when I smoke - but I still do it. I know all the arguments for and against, and found myself reading this website after looking for info, something to motivate me to give it a break. I can only speak for myself - most on this forum are confident in illogical and emotive generalizations - and maybe my experience can help others. I love the ganja - I've used it as some sort of emotional and social device for years. I've also become expert at believing that I am totally in control and I can rationalize the pants off anyone as to why I benefit from smoking rather than be harmed by it... And that is a hallmark of addiction. Persistent harmful behaviour despite social detriment, despite the wishes of others, being blindsided to the fact that I depend on getting high to unwind and destress - this is my major problem. I've read a lot of people's views here, all at different stages in their weed career - to all the longterm stoners - give it a break for two months, get your vitality back. To all those starting out, keep an open mind, but not so open that your brains fall out. Weed is harmful, it is hilarious, it's a great way to have fun with friends, but it fucks with your brains, especially your memory (and yes, there are peer reviewed papers to back that up). It is insidious - I have to be honest here, I have a problem with weed. When you scroll through your contacts one by one deciding which 'friend' might be able to hook u up, despite not having talked to them for years and being embarrassed to ask, you need to give it up for a while. Everything in moderation. Don't let people who highlight the negatives make you bury your head in the sand, be wise, for yourself, but also consider those that love you and find you more fun and full of life without drugs.
Ps - sorry for the monologue - I want to make it clear that I've enjoyed it for years but am readyto quit because I can see that I have a nie little addiction brewing
pps - the original post is unscientific and illiterate - but good on you for stimulating debate
toke it up peeps
fuck sience and fuck the government. im smart as hell but this whole ("omg pots bad for you" "omg no its not") isjust geting stupid nowa days. the way i look at this shit is. if the guy/girl/it wants to smoke than let.. its not you. why should you care? and if some of the parents wouldent raise their children to be so fuckin close minded than we wouldent even need a god damn government.. we would all be free and having a good ass fucking time. so you know what.. fuck this so called nation right up the ass.. im no terrorist but seriously fuck our nation. seriousely though, think hard about it.. weed is a plant right? and if you so happen to roll it into some paper and light it and smoke it, you will feel good. where in the constatution does it say i cant roll me a fuckin joint? i have a right to grow it if i wanted to.. thats what bob marley trys to get out to people.. "get up stand up" "stand up for your right" "get up stand up" "dont gie up the fight" damn people.. just look at what im saying. the truth will be spread out... people will understand.... youll see..
i smoked weed since i was
i smoked weed since i was about 9. its been on and off until the past 3 and half years which iv been high everyday since and i know my emotions are wack but im startin to understand and adapt and im becomin better and more tryin to be one with society. its just like figuring otu problems faster and u assert that into life.
thanks smoke if ya wanna tolk
I have had more bad
I have had more bad experiences than good myself! I'm more against it then for it. I know it has totaly different effects on people so how can anyone come to a conclusion whether it's alright to do it or not! science praise it for sick patients and they put it down for other use! My problem with it is i have a partner that smokes a lot of it and is so irratic with his decision making, he puts words into my mouth, he twists whateva i say he makes me try doubt everything i do like im the one with no controll! he forgets what i say to him its like im not even there! Having said that He is only really nice to me wen he is really high i dnt find it fair that he can only be so nice to me wen he smokes himself silly! he thinks im always attacking him wen im not! its gettn worse we have a 3 mnth old boy my partner is nearly 30 and basicaly our relationship is deteriorating sorry but i blame it on weed and the effects it has!
Girl, it sounds like you need
Girl, it sounds like you need to drop this guy. He seems more concentrated on his fix than you. No guy you have a child with should be making you second guess your every move.
On another note, if weed makes him more attentive to you, then perhaps that's not the biggest issue. Maybe it's the man himself.
A case of only positive effects of marijuana
Before I smoked marijuana I was only aware of negative perceptions about the use of the drug.
I had heard about the use of medical marijuana and was interested in trying it because I have a combination of what is called scheuermann’s disease and scoliosis’ and I really was in pain all day and all night.
Before I started smoking I was sick and depressed all of the time, My sleeping patterns where all messed up and this was mostly the case because of a few perception drugs that in my mind almost killed me.
I think that people thought that I smoked weed before I did because I used to never leave my house or talk to people and all I used to do was sleep all the time. Since I have been smoking I have experienced only positive effects.
It really does make you laugh the first time you smoke it, Well for me it was a very funny experience because everything that I had been told about it seemed to be wrong. My first time getting high was very fun, I didn’t have any problems at all. I had been smoking marijuana almost everyday small amounts at a time for my back I have Never and I mean Never had any problems with memory, thought, concentration, time or depth. In fact I am more alert when I smoke most all the time. I rarely smoke a lot at a time but when I do I do not have any real problems.
It makes everything more enjoyable, learning, music, watching movies, reading, working out, and so on. I Will claim that I believe I am a much better worker, learner, I eat better I sleep better and It makes me more intelligent. Well I am very willing to at least say I know that marijuana does not always effect people this way. I have smoked with other people and seen almost some opposite effects that it has had on me such as loss of memory and concentration. I my self become more alert but when I smoke with friends they tell me they don’t have any idea what is going on and usually have a hard time talking with me but I have never seen marijuana do anything worse then I have seen even just a little bit of liquor do to a person.
Maybe the reason that it has such a positive effect on me is because my brain chemicals where out of wack before so maybe it had an opposite effect. For Example I think I might have ADD but marijuana seems to reverse my lack of concentration to a much more concentrated state.
I am under the belief that beer and cigarettes are much worse for your health and yes I have smoked drank beer enough and smoked cigarettes long enough to know that they have effected me much worse then weed ever has. Beer makes me dumb liquor makes me in pared, I would never drink and drive, I hardy ever drink and I never drink liquor just because in compression to marijuana at least for me is about twenty times worse then even a lot of weed. I have been smoking for a little more half a year now and I have never had a bad experience. Although I believe it is maybe the best thing for me I wouldn’t know for all other people and I am not sure if it will always have such a positive effect on me.
While taking it I was in the best shape of my life, but it does cause paranoia but that is mostly because at least for me because it is illegal. I started to believe that my window washing company where actually cops and that they where watching me. The paranoia did get a little out of control but I still think that they where cops. Could maybe the paranoia of marijuana smokers be caused because they tend to look at larger plots?
I believe that if a man is more sane then others around him then he will be looked at as insane because he does not fit with in with others understanding.
Think of times in history when people where more on the ball then others and they where called insane. It really does change the way you look at everything and usually when you think outside the box people around you tend to either think you are crazy in the head or they tend to start to think the same way could maybe that be that the true reason while it is illegal? It does make you ask questions that people are afraid to look into.
Anyways I have noticed a different effect lately while smoking and it has to do with my way at looking at things. I have been training my thoughts to not pay attention to pain and in doing so I have realized that I don’t need to smoke for my pain as often. So I am under the belief that the reason it effects people differently has to do with there chemical make ups but also the way they think it will effect them. Your thoughts are very powerful so maybe marijuana can be more effective in a beneficial or negative way depending on how you think it will effect you. I don’t claim to be any kind scientist that has rights to claim that I am right but should more people be looking into the subject?
Stop
I never did anything, never drank, smoke. drug abuse, anything. until i got to high school and my freshman year, i met all the wrong people. The frist time i did weed, it was out of a dollar bill (extremly harmful) didnt feel much.
Did it a couple times after that. One night i was at a friends house, spending the night, and we got high. Someone had said something funny, and i laughed for about 40 minutes STRAIGHT, none stop. Untill i could feel my ab, muscle hurting, and cramping, and my jaw fighting to stop laughing. I did, but then a said memorie,was brought into my head, i cried for another 40 min, about a min after i'd stop laughing. I remember my friend trying to calm me down, My friend begin to get really worried, asking me if i needed anything, if my heart rate was fine.
Another time was outside about 48 degrees,
we were smoking, and it was pure THC, the SECONDD; after inhaling all that smoke, my sight blured, my head started to spin, hard core. I coulding ever speak, it hurt, i felt sick, and could taste vomite on the tip of my tongue. I rememebered asking my friend to help me, telling her i was dizzing, and my head didnt stop spining, i wasnt even stading up, just sitting down, perfectly still. My friend afterwards told me she didnt understand i word i was saying, that i was even speaking. i remembered thinking NEVER to do pure THC again, but i should have told myself to STOP for ever.
Freahman year, i had this memorisation assiagnment. To memories a prologue, i couldnt.
as hard as i tried, and i usally was really good with memorization. I thought it was just me, not the weed i'd been abusing. i was not high, when trying to memorise it. it was weird because i could remember, what it had said, but i'd get the words wrong. like instead of love, i'd say like, or instead of here, i'd say there. I honestly thought it was just me, and that i was just stupid or it was too hard. Untill my other two friends, complained to me, about how hard it was to memoriae that prologue. They had done as much weed as i had. i got a D in honors English, after pot, when before i had an B, maybe the work got harder, maybe i slacked off, maybe it was because i had a boyfriend. But my other pot friends in that class grade also dropped.
i decided to stop, and ever since, i did.
hahaha people like this are
hahaha people like this are so funny. first you trying to use smart words like your getting somewere.. but really your saying "uhh the thing in the uhh plant that does stuff to you is bad and you shouldnt do it cuz uhh. oh the uh nimrods.. i mean nerons in human brains do.. the opposite of wat theree told." hahah um i hope you know your BODY HAS ITS OWN cannabinoid receptors. Endocannabinoids seem to play an important role in regulating inflammation processes. Scientists from the University of Bonn have discovered this in experiments. Their results will be published in the distinguished scientific journal 'Science' on Friday, 8 June. The study may also have implications for therapy. In other experiments, a solution with an important component made from cannabis reduced allergic reactions of the skin.
me 2...
I smoked some weed (w/ a bit of tobacco in it)with 4 friends, didnt feel nothing - walked back to skool, walking through the hallway, my heart started going really fast - then normal - then really fast- then normal...maby because i was fighting it, or maby because there was so many people...but anyway - it was like little hot flashes, ya know the ones you get when you wake up and see somebody standing over you... but it was constant...i found another friend that wasnt high and asked him where the people i smoked with were at, he said he didnt know, said to relax, take it easy and not to talk to anybody, and that i would be fine. I whent to class sat down - and started thinking about if i had a heart atack from my heart going so fast and praying i didnt die, a chick sitting beside me noticed i was high and tripping balls...she gave me watter and half a sandwich i ate them and started to chill...my heart slowed down - and was ok untill i stood up again to refill my water bottle, started going hella fast again so i whent back and sat down again...30 minutes later i tryed again and slowly walked over to the fountain and filled my watter, i got back to the desk and sat down...heart slowed. i was thinking about life - but i dont remember what i was thinking about...i ended up staring at the desk for like 40 minutes straight just thinking. block change happened and i was a bit shook up but alright - and starting to come down...i was really burnt by the end of the day. i whent home and layed down - still getting little hot flashes but my heart was normal...and fell asleep - i woke up and didnt have any other symptoms that night
The next day - i woke up and was fine, i got to school walked onto the bathroom, and started feeling nervous, and now im in class still nervous and writing this....anyway thats my weed expierience...
haha
I enjoyed reading your trip online. I came across this page from a friend of mine and honestly this was the funniest thing on it. I hope you have calmed down. I've been smoking for several years and I can still remember my first trip.
BUD
I'm a junior and i been smokin since i was a freshman. they shud legalize weed. i remember everyday i smoked many blunts wit my friends my memory is fine and i love being high. i concentrate more when im high and i get all of my school work done. weed rele changed my mind bout everything. i hav become more mature and grown up. i dont think i will ever quit cuz life is rele short and if u cant hav fun in life then wats the point.
YEA!!!!! i have the same
YEA!!!!! i have the same story except im 14 and i started this year and ya i love it made my life my grades better
my fav comment!
Tremors, shakes...
It had been years, and the other night I dove back in headfirst. This friend of mine had some good HQ stuff, so I figured I'd go for it.
We snuck around the corner from the bar we were at, had some conversation while we passed it around, and I was fine for a couple minutes...then it hit me HARD
I started feeling a little dizzy, my vision was strobing and blurred and my legs began to shake. I'd never had that effect before, and I used to do it quite a bit...very strange.
Finally, I just sat down for a sec and layed down right there on the sidewalk, ha ha. After about 30 seconds I got back up and was completely fine, it just passed and I was able to get back to the bar in perfect shape.
I hypothesized it was just a bunch of pent up chemicals in my brain, and the herb just opened the flood gates, knocking me DOWWWWWWN! That, and it was some really good stuff :)
It was grade 6
Summer of grade 6 Till about this year in grade 9 It has happend about 3 or 4 times that one night i get really baked and my head like I guess i always said to my friends that my head fucking reset or something its really fucking werid.. but I dont know It sucks. Every since the first time It happen My head always feels werid that i can think a lot differently about things then other people can .. I have learned to get use to it , it took a while but i am still struggleing with it I always wonder if im gunna be normal again or something like that .. Also Its hard now cause now my friends in grade 9 are thinking they might start useing it but they dont know what happends once you do it .. I think It could of just been a ''bad trip'' like someone said above but it just has changed my thoughts on life completely , Im not sure about life anymore but i know that in a couple of years i might be differnt if i never smoke again but if i do smoke whats gunna happen? My head is always thinking about what is gunna happen or might not happen everyone says to me just chillax for a bit and not worry about it so much just live your life as it is but I cant I dont know how to anymore.. I just wanted to write this because i wanted to let someone know how i have been feeling about my fucking life , ps I am a moody fucker and i know i am and i wish i wasnt i have lost girlfriends because of it .. and other stuff too around my family and friends . I hope i can change Im fucking hopeing i can . also my father smokes and hes a fucking asshole im to scared to tell him i found his weed stash and face to face him about it but maybe he'll figure out that i dont talk to him anymore because he smokes .. and its fucked up knowing my dad who is my parent is high hes really anoying and i dont know how my mom and sister dont know hes baked out of his mind.. I guess that what i know of out of what i learned that I see life differently now then i use too Its nice in some ways but its not nice in others if you decide to smoke Really think about it first It can change some peoples lives completely if you dont take control of what your doing while your high , idk the times i got really fucked one of those 4 times I thought about my life and what its lead up too and it scared the fucking shit out of me and to top that the people i was smokeing with just tryed making funny jokes since they could handle there high and i couldnt at times .. I now think that sometimes people are just trying to trick me everyday with things i do i dont know still if they are or arent I have decided to say fuck it if they do they do if they dont I live fine for that day .. Thanks for reading it hope it helps some of you and i hope maybe someone can give me some advice or something..
Wowwww I am somewhat dealing
Wowwww I am somewhat dealing with the same problem it has almost been a year. :'( I wanna be normal again too swweetiee.
same!!!! fuck i have like
same!!!! fuck i have like almost the same exact story... my mind resets i call it that too. everything you said is the damn case with me wer on the same page man fuck maybe we can help each other
reading this gave me the
reading this gave me the chills, happened to me twice, both times ive ever smoked. i know exactly what your saying when you say your mind reset, scariest fucking thing i can think of, kill me before i go through that again. i also know exactly what your saying when you say your minds changed. ive told everyone i know about the experience, and they call it a bad trip, fuck man your the only person ever who even seems to know about that experience, we need to talk.
That is normal to have happen
That is normal to have happen to you when you smoke too much you arent supposed to smoke so much at once you can only get so high
whoever said this article is
whoever said this article is wrong is ignorant. please be quiet. this happens to every person that smokes weed. its true. end of story
I have smoked for about 6
I have smoked for about 6 years now and it has never affected me in a negative way. My memory is still the same and i remember every thing i did while i smoked. I know people that have smoked all through school and graduated top of there class with high honers (and I'm not trying to be funny with that statement) when i smoke i am not impaired and i can still work and function the same as if i didn't smoke. then people say that you can get addicted to it which i think isn't right. at the present moment it has been about 4 weeks since the last time i smoked and never even thought about it until my good friend got arrested for it. so i don't see the problem in it and i hope people will find out the truth about it before more people are arrested for stupid reasons.
Answer to EFFECTS
I tell you straight off that I'm an abuser. Not user. I smoke from morning all the way till I go to bed and I'm talking about Northern Lights and White Widow. Not the best, but definitely somewhere up there in the ranks.
There were many factors, firstoff considering the weather was fcuking cold, you guys were probably under-dressed, and YES WEED DOES AMPLIFY THE COLD!! If you don't believe it, try going out of the house without showering after smoking, then try going out of the house after showering after smoking, it makes a hell of a difference!
Secondly, are you a seasoned smoker? As in how often do you smoke? If you are a beginner user and you suddenly take 11 big hits out of a blunt, then you are asking for trouble. Your system at that time might not yet 'know' how to handle the high, and your brain is interpreting and sending you all this wrong information, inducing your panic attack. Once your tolerance reaches a certain level and you know how to anticipate and handle your high, then it will be fine. Next time if you are high, try to find time for a quick shower in a hot bath before you go out. You will find yourself one smilin' motherfcuker.
Here is another plausibility. You don't have to get anxious if your heart beats fast. It is NORMAL and acknowledged that marijuana raises heart rate. Most of the times, it's because people don't know how to handle their highs which is why they are getting all these panic attacks. Because they get all confused and think that they are going to die or something. It's not possible! KNOW that you are high. Just don't think about it! Unless it makes you puke or something, enjoy its effects. Don't be afraid of them.
Let's talk about cognitive ability and memory. I play jazz piano and I don't play it from memory; I know exactly which notes give me the sounds I want and play a completed piece on the spot. My brain has the capacity to memorize about 30 songs (I've tested it) or so although I usually don't do it because I prefer playing something new each time.
I also play stride piano (NOT ragtime) which involves rapid windshield wiper movements on the left hand over large distances (half the entire keyboard) and impromptu improvisations on the right hand while maintaining extreme independence of BOTH hands, all at the same time. I'm an active performer with gigs every year, some paid some unpaid.
About cognitive problems and memory they still function the same for me. All I can say is I don't know if it is long-term because I'm not that old yet I'm only 30. Although one thing I'm certain about is I could end up with lung cancer if I'm not careful.
I don't dispute possible health problems that could be associated with smoking marijuana, because after all smoking itself (no matter what you're smoking) IS bad for you. Weed smoke is 10 times thicker than cigarette smoke. Even though that worries me, I love the weed too much to stop. So maybe I'm one of those who might have to learn the hard way.
Yeah!
I resonate with alot of that! I abuse too ;) You should get a vaporizer though friend, Volcano's are overly expensive but pretty amazing (the one I have) but I've heard good things about a few others. They are really worth the investment, conserve weed some and stop you smoking. Heard good things about Da Buddha, its considerably cheaper than the Volcano too. I smoked for 3-4 years, heavily, got scared when I started coughting nasty shit up everyday. Brown and black and eww. But we mix tobacco with weed in joints, so I had to quit smoking cigs too. Its taken awhile but I breathe clean and easy now and still get stoned just as much as before ^^
YOU.
THANK YOU. I think your comment is the best put-together by far. Everything you've said is completely true. Well, at least for me.
I'm not going to accuse non-smokers of being close-minded or stupid. They aren't; it is their own decision, and good for them! They will never have to worry about being arrested for use and they will never have to worry about any negative side effects that weed may have on them personally.
Anyway, I'm glad somebody could put together a well thought-out and easy on the eyes comment that is pro weed!
Yeah
yeah its rly cold lately this year and im used to smoking it in the warm weather alot but i always had those panic attacks and thought i was going to die because of the cold my friend always made me smoke alot because he does a shit load so reading this really helped me ive had so many bad trips this winter i think i will do what u told me take a hot shower and smoke 1 hit out of the pipe lol and ill be smiling like a muther fucker haha cuz i remember smoking so much weed in the summer and just baking in the sun being happy :) ty!
I have been smoking marijuana
I have been smoking marijuana for almost a year now and in that year it has made me a better person and made me grow up and mature. I am doing way better in school and care about things on a different and more intelligent level I do not think marijuana is a bad drug. It opens up your mind and makes you see the world differently possibly the way you should have been looking at it this whole time.
weed makes people stupid
My husband used to be a weed addict and i can tell you week smokers that it does make a person stupid! He can not read nor write and its hard for him to remember stuffs.
There is nothing stupid in ur
There is nothing stupid in ur husband's behavior .. actually wht he is doing is OVER-CONCENTRATING on other things which he may be thinking in his mind ... ask him to set priorities to his thoughts or acts .... Marijuana is medicine to boost performance (in my experience) only if u could control the direction of ur thoughts >>>>>
Ok first off, i see so many
Ok first off, i see so many spelling mistakes in this conversation that it is ridicules.. not that spelling or grammar matters but when you are trying to make your point by saying that weed makes people "stupid" and then say "week smokers " instead of "weed smokers" it makes me laugh (probably hit the wrong key on you keyboard)... and for everyone.. who cares if it can effect or not effect your brain, in the end of the day its your decision and your own body.
ure husband is proly just
ure husband is proly just stupid
Your an idiot, if he cant
Your an idiot, if he cant read or write its because of his apparent lack of schooling. This has nothing to do with him smoking all the time.
alot of people in this blog
alot of people in this blog cant even formulate a sentence correctly and they say that pot is good for them. i think that they r all in denial or that their chemical make up can positively respond with the addition of marijuana. ive smoked pot for 4 years and it has done nothing but make me stupid. I have a hard time thinking when it comes to my short term memory, I've spent all my money on it and I have a list of things that happened because of it. Weed has definetly affected me in a horrible and harmful way and now Im in a bad situation because I want to stop, but I cant. Maybe its becasue i have an addictive personality. I really dont know. whoever can help me figure this out PLEASE I AM BEGGING YOU because my life is falling apart with my family and my friends. its almost worse than hard drugs
The chances are you were
The chances are you were stupid before you smoked weed, because (let's just say for arguments sake "they" were right, and weed effects your short term memory) you should still be able to retain information WHEN YOU'RE NOT HIGH. If you spent all your money on some green, don't be stupid and waste your money. If smoking a blunt is THAT MUCH to you then you are the kind of person that shouldn't be smoking to begin with. You're the kind of pot smoker that gives the rest of us, educated and able, a bad name. If you can't get your priorities striaght, check yourself. Having a list of bad things that have happened is more likely just you not being a rational person, or having enough smarts to make an intelligable decision, rather than the stupid one. All your shit just sounds like personal problems. Don't blame YOUR MISTAKES on weed.
I would suggest seeking
I would suggest seeking professional help. If that's out of the question, start making friends with people who don't smoke. Those are probably the people who will help you the most. They don't smoke, so you probably won't smoke while hanging out with them. Something else important about making non-smoking friends is that they will probably be more than willing to support you in your decision to quit.
I hope everything works out for you!
to this troubled person who
to this troubled person who has been smoking for 4 years:
your life is not falling apart. you need to step back and look at all your positive experiences as well as the friends and insights you have gained from smoking weed. even though it may seem like weed has put you in this position, you are wrong. it is your own doing that has set you back, not the weed.
im sure that you are very experienced with marijuana, but experience cannot help you if you are not mature and responsible. marijuana is not a "drug" its simply a plant. its a tool. you cannot fear it-or think that you are "addicted" to weed. if you do, you lose control. to be a responsible user, you need to maintain control. if that means taking breaks so as to save your money, then so be it. do not think you have wasted your money because, if nothing else, you have gained life experience. do not focus solely on the negative experiences you have gained. do not say weed is the reason for your struggling when it is more likely to be your own incompetence and inability to control yourself.
if you really think your life is falling apart, talk to you friends and family about your experience-this can really put everything into better perspective. i hope you can live happily without having to give up such a great and useful thing as marijuana. good luck.
Reply to EFFECTS
I tell you straight off that I'm an abuser. Not user. I smoke from morning all the way till I go to bed and I'm talking about Northern Lights and White Widow. Not the best, but definitely somewhere up there in the ranks.
There were many factors, firstoff considering the weather was fcuking cold, you guys were probably under-dressed, and YES WEED DOES AMPLIFY THE COLD!! If you don't believe it, try going out of the house without showering after smoking, then try going out of the house after showering after smoking, it makes a hell of a difference!
Secondly, are you a seasoned smoker? As in how often do you smoke? If you are a beginner user and you suddenly take 11 big hits out of a blunt, then you are asking for trouble. Your system at that time might not yet 'know' how to handle the high, and your brain is interpreting and sending you all this wrong information, inducing your panic attack. Once your tolerance reaches a certain level and you know how to anticipate and handle your high, then it will be fine. Next time if you are high, try to find time for a quick shower in a hot bath before you go out. You will find yourself one smilin' motherfcuker.
Here is another plausibility. You don't have to get anxious if your heart beats fast. It is NORMAL and acknowledged that marijuana raises heart rate. Most of the times, it's because people don't know how to handle their highs which is why they are getting all these panic attacks. Because they get all confused and think that they are going to die or something. It's not possible! KNOW that you are high. Just don't think about it! Unless it makes you puke or something, enjoy its effects. Don't be afraid of them.
Let's talk about cognitive ability and memory. I play jazz piano and I don't play it from memory; I know exactly which notes give me the sounds I want and play a completed piece on the spot. My brain has the capacity to memorize about 30 songs (I've tested it) or so although I usually don't do it because I prefer playing something new each time.
I also play stride piano (NOT ragtime) which involves rapid windshield wiper movements on the left hand over large distances (half the entire keyboard) and impromptu improvisations on the right hand while maintaining extreme independence of BOTH hands, all at the same time. I'm an active performer with gigs every year, some paid some unpaid.
About cognitive problems and memory they still function the same for me. All I can say is I don't know if it is long-term because I'm not that old yet I'm only 30. Although one thing I'm certain about is I could end up with lung cancer if I'm not careful.
I don't dispute possible health problems that could be associated with smoking marijuana, because after all smoking itself (no matter what you're smoking) IS bad for you. Weed smoke is 10 times thicker than cigarette smoke. Even though that worries me, I love the weed too much to stop. So maybe I'm one of those who might have to learn the hard way.