Regular pot habit changes your brain

Regular pot use by especially younger smokers can deteriorate the orbitofrontal cortex, or the part of the brain that helps you make decisions, according to a new study published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.  The researchers compared non-users to regular users, some of whom had regular daily exposure to marijuana for as long as thirty years, but where the average duration was ten years.

Another adverse effect encountered by the study was lowered IQ ratings in chronic users, by as much as 5 points lower, however this finding was not conclusive, but tended to indicate the duration and onset of use, in adolescents had negative long-term effects.  Studies like this one challenge the widespread belief that marijuana is a harmless drug.

CNN story on marijuana