Youth who used weed at least once a week over long periods of time were found to lose verbal intelligence.
It’s likely that almost all of us have adopted some new habits during the pandemic. From snacking more often to adopting a new morning routine, things are in flux.
Unfortunately, it’s not all simple stuff, however. Some more damaging habits are on the rise. Statistics show that as of September 2020, Americans were drinking about 14% more alcohol than they did in 2019. (Some groups were lifting a glass more and others a bit less, but this was the average increase in consumption).
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Overall, adults in the US have been adding one drinking day to their life each month. And Canadians have been found to be doing about the same. Men have been drinking more because they’re bored, and women because they’ve been taking on too much stress, research shows.
What about marijuana use? According to Statista.com,, many Americans have changed how much weed they smoke during the pandemic. About 26.5% of weed smokers reported smoking less during the pandemic, but almost 30% said they were now smoking more.
The Long Haul
Unfortunately, while this might be harmless for some, it can potentially add up to bad news. A study done by researchers at RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences found a link between adolescents who used cannabis frequently and a decline in Intelligence Quotient (IQ) as time passed.
The study looked at 808 young people who used marijuana a minimum of once per week over at least six months and compared them with 5308 people of similar age who did not use the drug. The participants were followed until they were 18 years old, on average, with one study going until participants were 38 years old. It was found that those who used cannabis regularly in their youth lost about two IQ points as time passed. Most of the intelligence lost was related to verbal IQ, researchers found.
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“Previous research tells us that young people who use cannabis frequently have worse outcomes in life than their peers and are at increased risk for serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia,” said the study’s senior author, Dr. Mary Cannon, professor of psychiatric epidemiology and Youth Mental Health, RCSI.
“Loss of IQ points early in life could have significant effects on performance in school and college and later employment prospects,” she added.
The good thing is, not everyone is gravitating to bad habits. Some are doing just the opposite. Check out these stories of people who were overweight and succeeded at shedding some pounds during the last year. Being at home can be the perfect opportunity to reflect on your lifestyle and make changes if you feel you need to. These are trying times but tomorrow can always be a brighter day.
photo credits: Kulichok/Shutterstock.com
