Marijuana use can cause long-term effects on brain's cognitive function: Study

Scientists and experts are investigating how cannabis can help in treating diseases like cancer and coronavirus as some researchers recently revealed that cannabidiol (CBD) might help block infection with the virus that causes COVID-19.

The laboratory studies found that CBD has shown promising results but a further probe is needed and the effect still needs to be tested on humans.

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But there are cons too. As we all know cannabis use remains illegal in most countries but in recent years, some nations have legalised to grow it. But how will it impact the brain? Here's a study:

The latest analysis of previous research on the impact of cannabis (or marijuana) on people's cognition, especially on the young generation found many of the known learning and memory difficulties could stay on for weeks.

The difficulties such as issues with slowed processing speed and facing challenges while focusing. Researchers from the University of Montreal established that verbal learning, retention and recall were affected even when the person was no longer high, that too for longer periods.

Part of the study read: "Cannabis consumption is often related to impairments in cognitive function [26], although cannabis does not seem to lead to deficits in cognitive domains equally and there are unresolved conundrums that need to be further addressed to grasp the differential acute and residual effects of cannabis use on cognition."

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The study revealed that cannabis is among the most consumed psychoactive substances worldwide and considering the changing policy trends regarding the substance, it is crucial to understand more clearly thepotential acute and residual adverse effects. Cognitive function is one of the targeted areas with conflicting findings.

Dr Sharon Levy, director of the Adolescent Substance Use and Addiction Program at Boston Children's Hospital said as quoted by NBC News that marijuana taps into brain systems that use endocannabinoids (cannabis-like substances that occur naturally in the body).

Levy, who is also an associate professor of paediatrics at Harvard Medical School said: "When you consume cannabis you're really flooding the system with the psychoactive plant chemical THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which in the short term is really great at hijacking the brain’s reward system."

Dr Levy said that there are immediate cognitive problems including lasting residual effects of cannabis usage by teens and young adults years.