New Study Shows Teen Brain Tissue Not Impacted by Marijuana Use
Lately, much of the marijuana talk has been the historic legal victories in Washington and Colorado. Other stories have discussed New Jersey distributing medical marijuana to patients after years of delays. However, it is important not to lose focus on one of the major reasons why marijuana has gained mainstream acceptance. It is proving to be an incredible medicine.
Opponents of marijuana reform are keen on hiding behind the “what about our children” remarks. In no way do we feel that minors should use marijuana, but we do want to highlight the truth. A new study, conducted at UC San Diego, examined the scanned results of 92 teenage brains over an 18 month period. Half of the group used marijuana and alcohol frequently before on during the 18 months. The other group abstained or consumed very little amounts of alcohol during the period. For teens who drank more than 5 drinks at least twice per week, the scanned images showed a reduction in white matter brain tissue. This could greatly impact memory, decision making, and other mental processes as they become adults.
Those who primarily smoked marijuana yielded very different results. For those who smoked at least 9 times per week, there was no change in brain tissue. The results come at a time where some may fear marijuana’s legalization in Colorado and Washington. Perhaps this will help push forward new plans to reform marijuana policy. Additionally, we may want to continue this research, as alcohol’s impact on the developing brain needs to be more understood.
Those who simply want to keep the status quo, or who hide behind pills and alcohol being legal should pay full attention. The previous century saw propaganda and fear construct our marijuana policy. We have a failed war on drugs, teens being unfairly incarcerated, billions of dollars wasted, and sick patients in need of relief. Their time has passed as information is exchanged more quickly and freely than ever before. Scare tactics will no longer dictate our legislative direction.
David Letterman & Seth Rogen Talk Weed, And How Kids Today Smoke It (VIDEO) – Huffington Post (satire) Khalifa will teach son how to smoke pot – CANOE