A new study says heavy pot smokers will end up in a lower social class than their parents by their mid-thirties. U.C. Davis Emergency Medicine Professor Dr. Magdalena Cerda says the study found that regular and persistent users also experienced more financial, work-related and relationship difficulties.
“Regular marijuana use over many years has an impact on one’s cognitive skills and IQ.”
She says the study found that people who are alcohol dependent have less financial difficulties than heavy users of cannabis.
“Financial problems means for example, trouble with debt, troubles with cash flow, lower credit scores. So you can imagine, these are people in their thirties who are going to have problems getting a mortgage, getting a small business financed. So these are important problems.”
Dr. Cerda says she is not taking a position on the pot legalization issue, but she says the study points to the necessity of persuading people to avoid becoming heavy users.
“With increasing use that may follow legalization, it’s also important to invest in prevention of regular long-term cannabis use and early treatment of people addicted to cannabis. If we invest in prevention and treatment we can actually avoid long-term consequences that cannabis use poses to families, communities and the broader social welfare system.”
She said the study shows that the regular long-term use of cannabis is not safe. Heavy users of cannabis are defined in the study as people who smoke it four or more days a week for many years.
Dr. Cerda was a guest on 790 KABC’s McIntyre in the Morning with Doug McIntyre and Terri-Rae Elmer.
By Sandy Wells