Memory gone to pot!

[Carolina]

Does smoking cannabis damages your memory? In what way and is it reversible?

[d+dwidow]

Yes, it is supposed to damage your short term memory. I used to smoke lots of it and it affected mine for a while, but it does return once you stop.

[mikewall01]

As the previous answer says it certainly affects short term memory. It also affects the ability to think logically and smokers often think as if they've had profound ideas or insights thus giving them distorted memories. The effects on long term memory are hotly debated, but all agree that the more or longer you smoke cannabis the greater the effect on the memory. Memory will often be restored over a period of time when smoking ceases, but you have to remember that other things, like smoking tobacco, also affect the memory because they all have harmful effects on the brain........ now, what was that question again ?

[d+dwidow]

It can also make you very very paranoid - thus giving you the fear!!! But it has its good uses too and is advised to many chronic pain and cancer sufferers because of its antiemetic properties.

[treaclefight]

smoked it for longer than i care to admit to, gave up a couple of years ago. i'd say it's largely a case of 'can't be bothered' to remember stuff when your stoned, nothing has quite the same importance as when your straight (which is probably why you smoke it) and so it doesn't seem necessary to remember. it didnt have that much effect on my memory and i'm sure i'm ok now, but it definately affects how logically you think, my general problem solving abilities have gone through the roof since i stopped smoking and i'd agree that the real evil is the tobacco.

[Nelli]

Interestingly I remember watching a documentary on a re-hab clinic in the States, exclusively for Pot Smokers...you may laugh, but one guy had actually forgotten how to read....no joke!

[sft42]

Despite a plethora of anecdotal acountants there are just as many independent comprehensive studies to show that cannabis smoking doesn't damage the memory in any way as there are that do...in fact the majority of the health damage is done by the nicotine in the tobacco which most smokers add.....for a reasonably balanced debate on the whoel subject have a look here

http://www.newscientist.com/hottopics/marijuana/wa
ronweed.jsp

[shybearuk]

Having recently gone from smoking ten joints a day, on average, to one or two every other night, I have to say that my short-term memory has dramatically improved. I never seemed to have any trouble with my long term memory though. Still find it easier to remember what happened ten years ago than what happened last week though

[scotchollie]

Apologies, I had intended to answer this in 2004 and again in 2005.

Oh, and again in 2006, but somehow it slipped my mind.

Sorry!

[society]

this is interesting; while it does affect the memory in a negative way, i know of many scholars who also used it to help them remember in their final years of schooling.

[Carolina]

I'd forgotten I'd even asked this......... It has been an while though!!!!