For years, the stereotype has been clear—smoking weed makes you dumb, right? According to new research, that argument might just be going up in smoke. A recent study out of Amsterdam suggests that blazing up as a teen doesn’t actually lead to long-term cognitive decline.
Researchers analyzed data from 5,162 men born between 1949 and 1961, dividing them into groups based on cannabis use. Surprisingly, they found no evidence that smoking weed at a young age negatively affects brain function later in life. Even more intriguing? Frequent adult cannabis users showed no greater cognitive decline than non-smokers. In fact, the study found that those who indulged in cannabis had slightly less mental decline—by about 1.3 IQ points.
One limitation of the study is that it only included men, as it relied on a military exam given to Danish conscripts. However, its findings align with previous studies from Australia and the U.S. that included women and similarly found no link between cannabis use and long-term cognitive issues.
This research challenges decades of anti-cannabis propaganda, much of which was fueled by big pharmaceutical companies and political agendas. The so-called “War on Marijuana” failed to curb usage and disproportionately targeted minority communities.
While this study isn’t the final word, it adds to the growing pile of evidence debunking the old myth that weed fries your brain. Future research will dive deeper, but for now, former teen tokers can breathe a little easier.