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 - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom