Does Cannabis Cause Memory Loss? Myth Or Fact

Maybe you’ve heard that weed gives you short-term memory loss. But is this statement backed by research?

Furthermore, are frequent cannabis users just dealing with short-term memory loss? Or is long-term memory loss something we should be aware of?

Thankfully, now that cannabis is legal in various parts of the world, research on the plant is continuously blooming. We’ve looked at the research to see weed’s impact on memory and if frequent use can cause long-term damage.

If you’re a frequent cannabis user, it can be somewhat challenging to recall minor details about your day-to-day.

One study published notes that cannabis can have a temporary impact on our cognitive abilities like short-term memory.

This works when THC is ingested, and it binds to our brain’s receptors responsible for memory functions. When THC binds to these receptors, they stop and disrupt neural signals that help us remember what we had for breakfast yesterday.

The simple answer is kind of. There are definite short-term memory effects caused by cannabis with THC.

There’s no denying that this cannabinoid disrupts neural signaling in the brain that helps us recall minor details about our daily lives. Thankfully, this is only temporary.

On the other hand, the long-term effects of cannabis on memory loss are scarce. The research is also contradicting, but most of it points towards long-term effects in teen cannabis use rather than in adults.

Because teenagers’ brains are still developing, they may be most at risk for experiencing long-term effects of cannabis on memory functions.