Science: Cannabis Does Not Make You Lazy After All

Science: Cannabis Does Not Make You Lazy After All. This contradicts the theory that cannabis use reduces dopamine production, lowers motivation, and ultimately prevents one from achieving life goals.

“Marijuana ruins your motivation. It will make you lazy.” Or so it is said. This is an old cliché driven into the public mind by multi-million dollar advertising campaigns. Weed has been taught that not only does it fry the brain like an egg, but it also removes all personal motives and allows you to live with your parents into adulthood. Like any effective propaganda, a core of truth helps cover up lies. Cannabis can attack CB1 receptors in a way that boosts the release of dopamine, a naturally produced pleasure chemical. is known. So it’s no surprise that people who use this enjoy it and want to do it again. But does that mean that in the process, our personal motivations to reach our short- and long-term goals are thwarted? You should want to know the correct answer. Scientists at Florida International University do what good scientists do. They challenge hypotheses and look for facts on the subject by publishing a study that tracks the motivation levels of young people who use it regularly. Even their hypothesis, published in Substance Use & Misuse, followed the popular belief that cannabis reduces an individual’s motivation, with increased frequency and amount having greater negative effects.

But they didn’t find it. Motivation in 79 of his teens aged 14 to 18 years was assessed using standardized self-report tools known as the Indifference Rating Scale and the Motivation and Engagement Scale. In fact, they concluded that “no significant differences were observed in any motivation index between normal and light users.” Their results did not support the association they observed between adolescent motivation and cannabis use.

This contradicts a theory developed in 1972 that cannabis use reduces dopamine production, leading to decreased motivation and ultimately an inability to achieve life goals.20 years later, science Some in the world have questioned this hypothesis, pointing out instead that depression, maybe the true culprit.

Research shows how marijuana can motivate exercise

The stoner stereotype found in mainstream media and popular culture tends to portray cannabis users as lazy sloths, always thinking about the next hit or munch. We’ve battled these stereotypes for a long time, despite the fact that marijuana strains that suppress appetite are emphasized.

Using marijuana before a workout “increases motivation” or “improves post-workout recovery,” according to a new study by researchers at the University of Colorado. The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health, found that it focuses on how people in legal states use it in relation to exercise.

Researchers surveyed more than 600 cannabis users and found that about 500 participants preferred using recreational cannabis one hour before exercise or four hours after exercise. Most surprisingly users exercised 43 minutes longer while doing aerobic exercise and 30 minutes longer while doing anaerobic exercise compared to non-users.

“To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine attitudes and behaviors regarding cannabis use before and after exercise, and to look at differences between concomitant and non-concomitant users,” the study’s authors said of marijuana. I’m here for a moment. “With increasing legalization of cannabis and low levels of physical activity in the United States, it is imperative for public health officials to understand the potential effects (both beneficial and harmful) use on physical activity behavior.”

Of study participants, 70% agreed or strongly agreed that “cannabis makes physical activity more enjoyable.” Additionally, over 50% believe marijuana “increases motivation” and 78% say it “improves post-exercise recovery.”

These findings tie in with previous research showing that marijuana doesn’t make you lazy at all, with reports that states with legal tend to be the healthiest in the country. So if you think marijuana is just for lazy stoners, you’re playing with clichés more than the available science.