Pubdate: Wed, 12 Nov 2014
Source: Seattle Times (WA)
Copyright: 2014 The Seattle Times Company
Contact:  http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/409
Author: Marcedes T. Taitt-Lamar

MARIJUANA: MORE STUDY NEEDED ON EFFECTS TO BRAINS

Regarding the article "Regular pot smokers have shrunken brains, 
study says," [Nation & World, Nov. 10] this study misses the mark on 
reporting concrete findings of regular pot use.

Taken at face value, it tells us what we're already used to hearing: 
"smoking is bad, and it will make you dumb." This, of course, is 
contingent upon that fact that most "regular pot smokers" started 
toking up before the brain could fully develop. But the study fails 
to tell us with clarity which comes first - the smaller brain or the 
pot smoking.

Aside from being an inherently flawed study complete with unclear 
definitions of "regular use", ambiguous findings and no true 
conclusions around cause and effect, this study completely derails 
the actual conversation we should be having around cannabis use. At 
the expense of not just recreational users, but medical users too, 
this article sensationalizes shoddy findings and stigmatizes those 
who serve to benefit from regular use, a la the medical community.

I suspect (and am hopeful) more studies will come out to report on 
actually founded direct correlations pertaining to this issue. In the 
meantime, let's continue to think a bit more critically about 
sensationalist news titles that spread misinformation to the masses.

Marcedes T. Taitt-Lamar, Seattle
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom