Rockport
AmberBeer
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Here's the snippet about marijuana from your link. Note that the long term effects "may" cause memory loss if consumed at an early age. Nothing definitive just "mays" and "cans".
Marijuana is the most regularly used illicit drug in the United States, and its use is especially common among adolescents and young adults, NIDA reports. The psychoactive chemical in marijuana, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (TCH), interacts and binds with cannabinoid receptors in the brain, producing a mellowing and relaxing effect. Regions of the brain with high concentrations of cannabinoid receptors are heavily impacted. One such part of the brain, the hippocampus, manages short-term memory, meaning that marijuana use can impede recollection of recent events. Additional regions of the brain that are impacted include the cerebellum and basal ganglia, which help to control coordination and involuntary muscle movements respectively. When someone abuses marijuana, impaired motor skills, mood alterations, distorted time and sensory perception, decreased memory, and trouble thinking clearly and solving problems are all common short-term side effects. Marijuana also interferes with levels of dopamine in the brain, causing the euphoric “high” that users document. Marijuana also has several long-term side effects on the brain, which are especially prevalent in individuals who use the drug before the brain is fully developed. NIDA warns that marijuana use in adolescence, and continued on into adulthood, may result in a loss of IQ points that are not recoverable even with abstinence. Also, initiating marijuana use before turning age 18 raises the risk for addiction as an adult. As many as 30 percent of those who use marijuana will suffer from addiction to the drug, and the risk is increased 4-7 times when use begins before the age of 18. As a person ages, neurons in the hippocampus are naturally lost, and marijuana use may speed up this process, leading to memory problems. Impaired coordination, learning issues, and sleep problems can result from long-term marijuana use and its impact on the brain. NIDA also reports on the possible link between marijuana use and the onset of psychosis and psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia in those who are genetically vulnerable. Breathing and respiration problems, chronic cough, and bronchitis are additional possible consequences of chronic marijuana smoking. Marijuana use can also disrupt heart rhythm and normal cardiac functions.
