Young cannabis smokers run risk of lower IQ, report claims
339 replies, posted
I think it's natural that most children under 18 are too immature to take an IQ test properly. Most simply won't give a fuck, especially if you're prone to smoking marijuana; so naturally the test results may be lower.
It's seriously hilarious to see some people in the thread trying to discredit a study because they are so adamant in their belief that marijuana is a harmless miracle drug.
[QUOTE=JustExtreme;37439177]I find it funny how studies like this rarely take into account other drug use such as alcohol and caffeine and sugar
Is IQ even an accurate measure of intelligence?
I imagine drinking at a young age is far more harmful than consuming cannabis, smoked or otherwise[/QUOTE]
Seriously now, people have just resorted to saying, "No no no! But these drugs are worse! :( IQ doesn't really mean anything, the study is wrong!!"
Did you even read the article?
[QUOTE]They assessed them as children - before any of them had started using cannabis - and then re-interviewed them repeatedly, up to the age of 38.
[B]Having taken into account other factors such as alcohol or tobacco dependency or other drug use, as well the number of years spent in education, they found that those who persistently used cannabis suffered a decline in their IQ.[/B]
The more that people smoked, the greater the loss in IQ.[/QUOTE]
[editline]28th August 2012[/editline]
[QUOTE=Bredirish123;37439199]I think it's natural that most children under 18 are too immature to take an IQ test properly. Most simply won't give a fuck, especially if you're prone to smoking marijuana; so naturally the test results may be lower.[/QUOTE]
This is not how IQ tests work. Stop trying to be armchair scientists, you can not discredit a study because you disagree with the results.
[QUOTE=JustExtreme;37439177]Is IQ even an accurate measure of intelligence?[/QUOTE]
probably not but they're the best proxy we have until we understand the brain more, plus they correlate strongly with life success
we still knew what temperature was before the laws of thermodynamics were worked out
It's like people in this thread don't understand that IQ tests have nothing to do with ambition or overall knowledge, but rather your ability to see logical patterns and rationalise.
Additionally, these people were tested over a period of 20 years, so they don't just do one goddamn IQ test and go "Well shit, they scored lower than in 1982, this is clear evidence", so don't drag in some bullshit about how they might have been baked at the time or had a joint 3 days before and were feeling a bit sluggish. Scientists are professionals, this is what they do, from day 1 they had shit planned out, so don't go assuming you've spotted something they've missed because you likely haven't.
Edit: Fair warning, I am not a fan of Marijuana, if you want to use it, fine, but don't pretend like it's not going to do any damage, just like anything else on the planet that is a neurostimulant, it's going to alter the brain's overall chemistry for better or worse.
demon weed-smoking devil worshippers' brains are filthy with the thought of homosexual marijuana sins...
[QUOTE=Faren;37434437]I thought that [URL="http://psychcentral.com/news/2011/09/23/brain-wiring-continues-into-young-adulthood/29719.html"]brain development continued to around 25?[/URL][/QUOTE]
probably, but early ages are still the most crucial part. at young age the brain is still a lot more vulnerable to a lot of stuff.
[editline]28th August 2012[/editline]
anyway, obvious news is obvious. marijuana isn't all harmless. it's a psychoactive drug with its psychoactive ingredients, and that shit can fuck up a young, still-developing brain.
any questions?
[QUOTE=Harry3;37438704]Nope
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallucinogen_persisting_perception_disorder[/url]
I have a mild form of it, its not fun.[/QUOTE]
It's all a state of mind, man. I have HPPD but I've come to accept it and even enjoy it because I approach it with the mentality that if I can't change it, I might as well embrace it. And hence, it doesn't interfere with normal day to day interactions.
[QUOTE=skynrdfan3;37436498]people who get changed for the worse by weed are dumb. it's not the drug's fault, its theirs.[/QUOTE]
Hahaa are you kidding me? So if I start popping anti-depressants and I become a different person it's my fault??
[QUOTE=Clementine;37436503]I don't want to be a bad person, but I see it more as one of those "correlation does not imply causation" things, where there definitely is a correlation, but could be caused by other things rather than the drug itself.[/QUOTE]
This is exactly what scientific studies are meant to dispel.
Seriously read up on what a scientific study does to ensure its conclusion is accurate
[editline]28th August 2012[/editline]
[QUOTE=Jackald;37439047]There appears to be a correlation, but this is no proof that cannabis is the only cause. Perhaps the kinds of people who persistently smoke cannabis also do something else which lowers their IQ?[/QUOTE]
Here are some words for you to look up
'control group'
'double-blind'
'statistical analysis'
and last but not least, please use your dictionary to see what the scientific method is
[editline]28th August 2012[/editline]
[QUOTE=JustExtreme;37439177]I find it funny how studies like this rarely take into account other drug use such as alcohol and caffeine and sugar
[/QUOTE]
Uh that's because there's a control group and a large enough sample that such events don't need to be factored in
[editline]28th August 2012[/editline]
[QUOTE=Bredirish123;37439199]I think it's natural that most children under 18 are too immature to take an IQ test properly. Most simply won't give a fuck, especially if you're prone to smoking marijuana; so naturally the test results may be lower.[/QUOTE]
yes clearly the smoking ones somehow initially placed higher and you know when they retested as adults different results came up AND HEY LOOK THERE'S CLEARLY NO EVIDENCE HERE THIS STUDY IS BAD DISCOUNT IT
An 8 point decline in IQ is quite small. It's quite common to have a deviation of around 15-20 points between tests over years especially if you continue education, or leave early and take up some menial job that requires no thought.
[QUOTE=BorisJ;37439661]An 8 point decline in IQ is quite small. It's quite common to have a deviation of around 15-20 points between tests over years especially if you continue education, or leave early and take up some menial job that requires no thought.[/QUOTE]
"I DO NOT UNDERSTAND THAT NATURAL DIFFERENCES WERE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN FACT I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE HELL A SCIENTIFIC STUDY IS BUT I THINK IT'S BAD BECAUSE MARIJUANA CANNOT DO ANY HARM NUH-UH"
[QUOTE=scout1;37439609]Hahaa are you kidding me? So if I start popping anti-depressants and I become a different person it's my fault??
[/QUOTE]
But he's talking about weed, not anti depressants.
So we're all flipping a shit over an average of 8 IQ points? Oh man
[QUOTE=Sleepy Head;37439701]But he's talking about weed, not anti depressants.[/QUOTE]
Oh so the fact that it's your favorite miracle drug means it has no ill effects?
Protip: Both are psychoactives.
people should just take this study like what it is, an evaluation of the possible risks that taking drugs at a young age causes. it's nothing for marijuana legalization proponents to get mad about because they explicitly state that they don't believe there to be danger in using weed after age 18 (which is the age i'm guessing any reasonable legalization legislation would be set at) and for this same reason marijuana legalization opponents shouldn't laud this as some proof that weed makes people dumb
[QUOTE=scout1;37439719]Oh so the fact that it's your favorite miracle drug means it has no ill effects?
Protip: Both are psychoactives.[/QUOTE]
Why the fuck do you have to patronize me? I'm well aware of that. Only reason I said that was because you were twisting his words.
[QUOTE=Sleepy Head;37439745]Why the fuck do you have to patronize me? I'm well aware of that. Only reason I said that was because you were twisting his words.[/QUOTE]
eh i think it's fairly obvious with how aggressive he is he has just as much of an agenda as he claims the people he's attacking have. ignore him
[QUOTE=Sleepy Head;37439745]Why the fuck do you have to patronize me? I'm well aware of that. Only reason I said that was because you were twisting his words.[/QUOTE]
Hardly. Both have clear effects on your brain and thinking, except one is widely known and one is downplayed by every idiot teenager with a taste for the illegal. I drew the comparison to prove a point by ridiculing him. If he wants to come deny that antidepressants affect people than I can laugh even harder. Or he can come admit he was wrong, and it's still mission accomplished.
[QUOTE=scout1;37439799]Hardly. Both have clear effects on your brain and thinking, except one is widely known and one is downplayed by every idiot teenager with a taste for the illegal. I drew the comparison to prove a point by ridiculing him. If he wants to come deny that antidepressants affect people than I can laugh even harder. Or he can come admit he was wrong, and it's still mission accomplished.[/QUOTE]
weed and anti-depressants work in completely different ways but it's obvious you don't understand the first thing about this subject and by comparing weed and anti-depressants you've proven that. you're just biased against the 'idiot teenagers'.
[QUOTE=scout1;37439799]Hardly. Both have clear effects on your brain and thinking, except one is widely known and one is downplayed by every idiot teenager with a taste for the illegal. I drew the comparison to prove a point by ridiculing him. If he wants to come deny that antidepressants affect people than I can laugh even harder. Or he can come admit he was wrong, and it's still mission accomplished.[/QUOTE]
Yes because everyone who has tried weed is an "idiot teenager with a taste for the illegal"
Stop embarrassing yourself with these ridiculous exaggerations
[QUOTE=Lachz0r;37439792]eh i think it's fairly obvious with how aggressive he is he has just as much of an agenda as he claims the people he's attacking have. ignore him[/QUOTE]
Yes my terrible agenda of dispelling ignorance by demonstrating why people are completely wrong
[QUOTE=scout1;37439825]Yes my terrible agenda of dispelling ignorance by demonstrating why people are completely wrong[/QUOTE]
you're not dispelling ignorance you're just feeding your own biased view on the subject and being an all around dickhead.
[QUOTE=James*;37439821]Yes because everyone who has tried weed is an "idiot teenager with a taste for the illegal"
Stop embarrassing yourself with these ridiculous exaggerations[/QUOTE]
Despite what people want you believe, drug use is still a fringe culture and marginalized as ever
i mean, you literally just compared anti-depressants, a blanket name for a shitload of different drugs to weed
[QUOTE=Lachz0r;37439830]you're not dispelling ignorance you're just feeding your own biased view on the subject and being an all around dickhead.[/QUOTE]
By pointing out that a statement like 'well it's your fault drugs had an effect' is stupid??
[QUOTE=Furioso;37439600]It's all a state of mind, man. I have HPPD but I've come to accept it and even enjoy it because I approach it with the mentality that if I can't change it, I might as well embrace it. And hence, it doesn't interfere with normal day to day interactions.[/QUOTE]
Its starting to get better for me, but its hard to ignore things like very bright headlights and streetlights when driving, makes it very stressful. And I used to have that feeling thats youre looking at the world from behind a really thin sheet of glass, like youre not really there, it was very hard to function properly. But that seems to have gone now. Iv still got pretty bad visual static.
I only used drugs at most once a month for a year, Iv stopped until this HPPD bollocks clears up.
[QUOTE=scout1;37439836]By pointing out that a statement like 'well it's your fault drugs had an effect' is stupid??[/QUOTE]
you don't point out a stupid statement by making a stupider one.
[QUOTE=scout1;37439831]Despite what people want you believe, drug use is still a fringe culture and marginalized as ever[/QUOTE]
Okay, but does that make all users idiot teenagers
How about adults that know the risk but choose to partake anyway? In the same way many people drink, smoke and eat unhealthily
[QUOTE=Lachz0r;37439851]you don't point out a stupid statement by making a stupider one.[/QUOTE]
Uh hey there's these things called 'comparisons' and 'mocking' in fact just read up to understand your lack of interpretation, I already posted on this subject
[editline]28th August 2012[/editline]
[QUOTE=James*;37439858]Okay, but does that make all users idiot teenagers
How about adults that know the risk but choose to partake anyway? In the same way many people drink, smoke and eat unhealthily[/QUOTE]
"one is downplayed by every idiot teenager with a taste for the illegal."
Does that say all users are idiot teenagers?
and you accuse me of twisting words
[QUOTE=scout1;37439861]Uh hey there's these things called 'comparisons' and 'mocking' in fact just read up to understand your lack of interpretation, I already posted on this subject
[editline]28th August 2012[/editline]
"one is downplayed by every idiot teenager with a taste for the illegal."
Does that say all users are idiot teenagers?
and you accuse me of twisting words[/QUOTE]
why are you being so hostile? and like i said, weed & anti-depressants is a very stupid comparison. if you were just making it in a mocking manner than it's a pointless comparison.
[QUOTE=Lachz0r;37439886]why are you being so hostile? and like i said, weed & anti-depressants is a very stupid comparison. if you were just making it in a mocking manner than it's a pointless comparison.[/QUOTE]
Well clearly I'm so sorry that you don't like my comparison. Here's a [url=http://www.facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1208341&p=37437118&viewfull=1#post37437118]better one.[/url]
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