Cannabis use associated with improved decision-making ability

A team of European researchers recently conducted a study to determine whether or not there are any residual effects from consuming cannabis on neurocognition. Their findings suggest that decision-making is not impaired when cannabis is used in moderation and when first use occurs after the age of 15.

In addition, the researchers write in the study, which will be published this fall in Cognitive Development, «We find no evidence to support the assumption that cannabis use leads to a decline in neurocognitive abilities.».

The researchers sought to determine the Effects of Cannabis on Adolescents. More specifically, they examined details of substance use and neurocognitive measures in 804 adolescents at age 14 and again at age 19.

«We did not detect any significant differences in neurocognitive abilities before the onset of cannabis use,» the researchers said.

The researchers go on to say: «Decision-making is not impaired when cannabis is used in moderation and use begins after the age of 15.»

«After adjusting for confounding factors, light cannabis use and late-onset cannabis use are associated with improved decision-making abilities both across the follow-up period and longitudinally compared with non-using controls,» the study concludes.

The researchers say that these findings «highlight the importance of patterns of cannabis use for neurocognition.»

A 2018 study noted that «the purported neurocognitive effects of early-life cannabis use may not be due solely to cannabis use itself, but may also be driven by limitations or delayed development of neurocognitive systems that predict substance use.»

Although a journal published in 2011 reports that «cannabis has a negative impact on cognition,» and adds that «the current body of research literature does not provide evidence of significant long-term effects resulting from cannabis use.»

These findings appear to be consistent with those from a study published two years ago, which suggests that, regardless of age, healthy regular cannabis users «have poorer neurocognitive functioning than non-users.».

Nevertheless, the authors emphasize that «further research (particularly large-scale longitudinal studies) is needed to identify critical periods or patterns of consumption that are more likely to lead to negative outcomes.»