It would appear that one of the greatest debates surrounding cannabis (marijuana) is whether or not it affects ones ability to acquire knowledge and understanding through thought, experience and the senses (cognition).
The objective of this study was “to provide the first quantitative synthesis of the literature examining cannabis and cognitive functioning in adolescents and young adults with a mean age of 26 years and younger.”
A comprehensive search of multiple databases from the time of their creation up through May of 2017 was performed. 69 studies of 2,152 cannabis users and and 6,575 comparison participants with minimal cannabis exposure were included.
The authors stated in their conclusion: “Associations between cannabis use and cognitive functioning in cross-sectional studies of adolescents and young adults are small and may be of questionable clinical importance for most individuals. Furthermore, abstinence of longer than 72 hours diminishes cognitive deficits associated with cannabis use.”
It appears that the authors of this study would answer the questions with a “No”.
