Forgetting is the worst. Passwords, history lessons, important dates—there’s a ton to remember and sometimes your brain can feel a little like this:
We’ve known for a while that marijuana can impact brain function, learning and—yes—memory. Now, a new study confirms it, and provides info about how long marijuana use can affect young people.
Here’s how the study worked: 88 regular marijuana users, ages 16 to 25, were split into groups. Some were asked to quit all marijuana use for four weeks, while others were not. The researchers then gave the participants various tests each week to track their brain function.
Turns out, marijuana really does affect young peoples’ learning and memory. Those who stopped using marijuana did better on the tests than those who didn’t.
The good news? When teens who regularly use marijuana quit, brain function improves. But it’s important to remember that we’re still learning about the long-term impacts—one study followed 3,826 teens for four years and found that long-term marijuana use impacted overall brain development and performance.
One thing we know for sure: avoiding substances like marijuana is healthy for your brain, your goals and your relationships! We wish we could be as certain about our passwords.