Paranoia about being “busted” and having the munchies are well-known symptoms of using cannabis. But for all the corny Cheech & Chong skits about brainless dopeheads, marijuana remains the recreational drug of choice for millions of people. New evidence suggests that the harm it does is well, just a matter of time.
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The jury’s out on whether the new evidence explains why so many people who use cannabis say “like” so much. But a study conducted in the US suggests that marijuana robs users of the ability to judge lapsed time. It’s likely to lend weight to efforts by legislators in some countries to take harsher measures against people who drive while under its influence.
Doped up drivers a major hazard
Basically, if you’re off your face, you might be able to get your car’s keys into the ignition without difficulty, unlike someone with six double scotches behind their belt.
The problem arises when your chemically enhanced mind is required to stay focused for some time or to say, keep an eye on oncoming traffic before overtaking a slower vehicle.
To judge the speed of the approaching vehicle you need to be able to concentrate on it for a couple of seconds. Marijuana robs you of that ability.
Rats confirm researcher's suspicions
Researchers at the University of Georgia, Athens, used trained rats and a reward system to assess their ability to judge lapsed time. When given a synthetic cannabinoid (one of marijuana’s active ingredients), the rats failed the tests set for them. Researchers didn’t say how the drug was administered, but rolling those tiny little joints couldn’t have been easy. There’s also no mention of whether the rats developed ravenous appetites, giggled uncontrollably or failed to turn up for work.
Users have long maintained that the drug seems to make time slow down, leading to ostensibly comical situations. But the next time you’re planning to sit around with your Grateful Dead records and claim you were at Woodstock, spare a thought not only for the brain cells you’re massacring, but for the those who have to share the highway with you and your VW Combi.
And if your partner is pregnant, she should avoid marijuana in any form: a study in Italy found that it affects the development of the brain in the womb and leads to memory difficulties and hyperactivity.
Dope lowers glutamate before birth
Researchers at the University La Sapienza in Rome say compounds appear to permanently alter the chemistry in the brain. Tests done on rats after birth found that those who had been exposed to marijuana while in the womb had lower levels of glutamate, a chemical that facilitates communication between nerve cells. The performance of the brain cells in the hippocampus – a part of the brain dedicated to learning and memory – also performed poorly.
All this is aside from the fact that marijuana is usually mixed with tobacco when smoked, and the hazards of tobacco are myriad, profound and scientifically proven. One study showed that tobacco smoke is made more harmful when smoked with marijuana because of the way it’s inhaled.
Rather than simply inhaling a small amount, marijuana smokers tend to inhale complete lungs full at a time to get the maximum effect from the drug. This simply increases the exposure of the lungs and the rest of the body to the harmful constituents. (William Smook)
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