A recent study from the University of Colorado’s Anschutz School of Medicine suggests that heavy cannabis use can negatively affect working memory—the ability to retain and use information for tasks. Published in JAMA Network Open on January 28, 2025, the research involved brain imaging of 1,000 individuals aged 22 to 36. The findings revealed that 63% of participants with a history of heavy cannabis use exhibited reduced brain activity during working memory tasks.
New Study Links Frequent Cannabis Use To Memory Decline
Assistant professor Joshua Gowin, the study’s lead author, emphasized the importance of understanding cannabis’s effects on health, stating that such knowledge empowers people to make informed decisions. He also noted that avoiding cannabis before engaging in cognitive tasks could enhance performance.
The study categorized heavy users as those who had consumed cannabis more than 1,000 times. Participants underwent MRI scans while performing cognitive tasks related to memory, emotion, language, and motor skills. The results indicated significant impacts on working memory among both recent and long-term heavy users.
Young Adults May Be Most At Risk, Experts Warn
Carol Boyd, founding director of the Center for the Study of Drugs, Alcohol, Smoking and Health at the University of Michigan, commented on the study, noting that while it doesn’t prove cannabis harms the brain, it adds evidence to concerns about heavy use affecting memory.
Long-Term Impact On Brain Function Raises Health Concerns
This research underscores the need for further studies to determine whether the observed effects are reversible and to understand the long-term implications of heavy cannabis use on cognitive functions.