Learn how smoking pot can affect your whole future, especially when it comes to your IQ.

Looking forward to getting into a good college? Think twice before you smoke weed. Marijuana doesn’t just have side effects when you smoke it. It can actually affect your brain permanently. This is your IQ on dope.

What’s an IQ?
It’s not a number your employers are likely to ask for, but it is a good indicator of your intelligence and your ability to problem solve in the real world. A significant drop in your IQ would be an indicator of genuine loss of intelligence.

How much does your IQ drop?
A large-scale study conducted in New Zealand recently showed that people who used marijuana heavily in their teens and continued as adults had a significant drop in IQ between the ages of 13 and 38. What’s a significant drop? Participants who met the criteria for cannabis dependence lost an average of 8 points.

What about long-term affects?
A study published in Brain magazine also showed long term effects of marijuana on the brain. In fact, friends and family members of the participants were given questionnaires. These people noticed changes in the behavior of the participants after long term marijuana use. Users were forgetful, misplaced things, and showed other signs of loss of cognitive function.

As you focus on your schoolwork and think about your future, remember that smoking pot can literally affect your ability to succeed in college and your career. It can have lasting, long-term changes on your brain’s function and your IQ.

Learn more about LiveFree! and its mission to reduce youth substance abuse.

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According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, marijuana is the most commonly used illegal drug in the U.S. Marijuana is derived from the Cannabis sativa plant, and its “natural” origins have lead to widespread myths about its potency, risks, and effects on the human body. However, many of these myths are just that. Here are the most common myths about marijuana, and the real truth:

Myth #1: Marijuana is harmless
Truth: Marijuana may have natural origins, but it certainly isn’t harmless. Short-term effects include: impaired judgment, memory loss, anxiety, and trouble with thinking and problem-solving. Long-term, damaging effects of marijuana use can include: memory loss, increased cancer risk, structural and functional damage to the brain, poor academic performance, depression, anxiety and other mental health problems.

Myth #2: Marijuana is not addictive
Truth: According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy,  marijuana meets the criteria for substance dependence set forth by the American Psychiatric Association in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSMIV). In long-term users, marijuana has been shown to cause withdrawal symptoms; is used even though it may interfere with family, daily activities and school; and creates a strong urge to use the substance again.

Myth #3: Marijuana is a popular medical treatment
Truth: While marijuana is debated to help provide relief for certain conditions, it has not been approved for medical treatment. Marijuana has been deemed a Schedule I controlled substance under the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970. The DEA office of diversion states:

Substances in this schedule have a high potential for abuse, have no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States, and there is a lack of accepted safety for use of the drug or other substance under medical supervision.

Myth #4: Marijuana’s effects are short-lived
Truth: Marijuana has both short- and long-term effects. In the long run, marijuana can have negative effects on the heart, lungs, brain, and mental health.

Myth #5: Marijuana isn’t as bad as tobacco
Truth: Marijuana contains more cancer-causing chemicals than tobacco substances, can increase the risk of cancer more than smoking cigarettes or using other forms of tobacco, and can cause the same respiratory problems as cigarettes.

Despite all the myths, marijuana is not a harmless substance, and it can be just as dangerous as any other illicit drug. The LiveFree! Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition is a coalition of members of the community who strive to address alcohol and drug use in Pinellas County. Visit us online today to see how you can get involved in this cause and help stomp out some of the myths surrounding marijuana and other illicit drugs!

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