Pros and Cons of Legalizing Soft Drugs

¶ … Legalizing "Soft Drugs": Marijuana's Effect on Cognitive Functioning

A continuing argument about the legalization of soft drugs such as marijuana, also known as cannabis is still much under debate. This work in writing intends to examine both the pros and cons to this issue, as the issues relate to the textbook content. Specifically examined will be the effect of marijuana on cognitive functioning.

The work of Hart, et al. (2001) examined the effects of smoked marijuana on complex cognitive performance and report a study in which they used a "within-participant double-blind design" for evaluating acute marijuana smoking effects on complex cognitive performance among those who were experienced in smoking marijuana. The study involved eighteen research volunteers who were healthy individuals and who smoked on the average of 24 marijuana cigarettes each week. Marijuana was reported to significantly increase the number of premature responses and the time participants needed to complete several tasks, the study found that marijuana had "no effect on accuracy on measures of cognitive flexibility, mental calculation, and reasoning." (Hart, et al., 2001,p.1) The study concludes that acute marijuana smoking resulted in only minimal effects on complex cognitive task performance among those who were experienced in smoking marijuana.

A study that examined the effects of marijuana on individuals with MS reports that individuals with MS who smoke marijuana "are more likely to have emotional and memory problems." (Science Daily, 2008, p.1) The study author, Anthony Feinstein, MPhil, PhD. Of the University of Toronto states that MS is known to cause cognitive problems. The study involved an interview of 140 Canadians with MS. Ten of the participants in the study reported smoking marijuana within the last month and who were current users of marijuana. The participants were evaluated for emotional problems and other psychiatric disorders and the thinking skills, processing speed of information and memory tested as well. The marijuana users performed fifty percent slower on tests of information processing speed as compared to the patients with MS who did not use marijuana. Study findings reported a significant link between marijuana smoking and emotional problems. (Science Daily, 2008, paraphrased)