Does marijuana actually ruin your memory?

Marijuana makes you stupid. At least after the weary consolation surrounding its use. Back then, stoners were considered slackers, and anyone who smoked weed had a one-way ticket to Loserville.

Today, many of those scars have disappeared. However, some are still entrenched in popular consciousness, such as the idea that every hit of a joint results in a lower IQ. But does smoking marijuana actually make you stupid?

Not really, according to a review published in the journal Neuropsychology. Canadian researchers Scot Purdon and Daniel Krzyzanowski wanted to better understand what long-term cognitive effects cannabis might have on users. They analyzed 23 previous studies to determine whether marijuana abstinence had an impact on verbal learning and memory skills.

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Based on the available literature, they wrote, any impairment in memory and verbal learning from marijuana use “appears to improve between 7 and 28 days of prolonged abstinence.” However, they added, “Years of regular use were inversely correlated with longer periods of abstinence and verbal learning performance, undermining the firm conclusion that abstinence alone has direct benefits for verbal learning and memory.”

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This isn’t the first research Purdon has done that focuses on marijuana and memory. In 2018, Purdon conducted a study that found that marijuana impairs verbal learning — the ability to read and retain information — up to 24 hours after consumption. Within one to three days, this impairment is reduced by half.

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What does this mean for general users? If you’re cramming for an exam or need to remember a presentation, it’s probably best not to use marijuana a day before you study the information. And if you ever worry that your cannabis habit is making you forgetful, give yourself a week off.