Marijuana is now legal in several US states (although it’s still illegal federally) – but what do we know about the long-term effects of daily use? “We know a lot more about the benefits and risks of cannabis use, although I would say the pace and scale of research has not kept pace with interest,” he said. added. says Kevin Hill, MD, MHS, associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and director of the addiction psychiatry division at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. “There is a growing body of literature on the therapeutic use of cannabis, and likewise we are learning bits and pieces about the problems associated with cannabis use. But our increased knowledge pales in comparison to the intense public interest , so one of the problems we often encounter is a growing gap between what the science says and what the public perception is.” Here are five possible side effects of smoking marijuana every day, according to experts. Read on and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure signs you’ve already had COVID.
Cannabis is addictive, experts warn, despite what people might think. “You can get addicted to cannabis, although most people don’t,” said Dr. Hill. “Yet, invariably, when people hear about what I do, they say, ‘Oh, you’re an addiction psychiatrist? Well, cannabis is not physically addictive; it’s psychological. So there are misconceptions about cannabis. And they continue because people are getting involved in trying to get people to vote one way or another on issues like medical cannabis or the legalization of recreational cannabis. It’s less addictive than alcohol, less addictive than opioids, but just because it’s less addictive doesn’t mean it’s not addictive.”
“When we talk about the harms of cannabis, young people who use it regularly can have cognitive problems, up to an eight-point loss in IQ over time,” said Dr. Hill. “It can make depression worse. It can make anxiety worse. But all of these consequences are dose-dependent. The data that shows these impacts is in young people who use pretty much every day.”
“One particular condition to be aware of is cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS),” says Jedidiah Perdue, MD, Medical Director of Arcadia Trails INTEGRIS Center for Addiction Recovery. “This very unpleasant illness involves cyclical vomiting triggered by frequent cannabis use. Nausea is pronounced and may temporarily subside with a hot shower. Fortunately, this syndrome improves when cannabis is stopped.”
Long-term marijuana use can impact memory, doctors say. “Chronic cannabis use has been associated with deficits in verbal memory, which may persist even after cessation,” said Dr. Perdue. “There is also a risk of psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, that is more pronounced in adolescents with genetic risk factors and those who use very potent forms of cannabis.”
There is evidence that chronic marijuana use could affect intelligence. “The potential impact of regular cannabis use on intelligence has received a great deal of attention and has been a hotly debated topic of recent discussion,” say Robert Gabrys, PhD, and Amy Porath, PhD. “In a longitudinal cohort study, early cannabis use was associated with lower intelligence (an average eight-point drop in IQ) over a 25-year period (age 13 to 38), and this relationship was independent of years of Among people who started using cannabis before age 18 and then abstained from drug use, IQ scores remained significantly lower than those who did not. have not consumed regularly.
Mast Ferozan
Ferozan Mast is a science, health and wellness writer passionate about making science and research-based information accessible to the general public. Read more
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