A recent study shows marijuana may actually trigger false memories in users.

Nationwide, many states have legalized marijuana, and in Arkansas “medical” marijuana use has skyrocketed since the COVID-19 pandemic. But a growing body of scientific evidence shows marijuana is harmful.

Researchers at Washington State University published a study in the Journal of Psychopharmacology linking marijuana use to poor memory and recall. The study found “cannabis increased susceptibility to false memories and detrimentally impacted verbal memory.”

This is not the first study to find that marijuana hurts users’ working memory and causes cognitive problems.

High-potency marijuana can trigger serious mental health problems.

troubling study published in JAMA Psychiatry found that cannabis use among people with a history of psychosis “sharply increased” in states where recreational marijuana was legalized. The increase in prior 30-day use was three times higher than in the general population.

Another study from Massachusetts General Hospital showed teen psychiatric emergencies spiked after marijuana commercialization began in the state. Teen marijuana use jumped from 5% to 17.3% in psychiatric emergency cases, while cannabis-related disorders among teens increased from 3.2% to 12.1%.

Heavy marijuana use has also been linked to reduced brain activity.

All of this simply underscores what we have said for years: Marijuana may be many things, but “harmless” simply is not one of them.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.