Myth Busters ... Cannabis Edition!

Read Time:2 Minute, 13 Second

I’m sure you hear a lot of comments about cannabis and what it does or does not do for you. Though, have you wondered how much of what you hear is actually true? Turns out, most of the things you hear about cannabis are probably myths or have more information behind it. So, today, we will be busting one of the most notable myths about cannabis.

One of the most popular myths about using cannabis is that it makes people lazy. Well, I am here to tell you that is not true. According to The Debrief, researchers found that cannabis users are not more or less motivated than non-cannabis users. Researchers from Kings College in London and the University of Cambridge did a study in September to look at the classic “stoner” stereotype that cannabis users are given. The study consisted of a group of users and non-users who completed a questionnaire measuring their ability to enjoy pleasure, receive rewards, stay focused, and how much they wanted to learn new things. The results came back that cannabis is in fact not related to someone’s laziness.

Researcher Martine Skulimen stated how “We were surprised to see that there was really very little difference between cannabis users and non-users when it came to lack of motivation or lack of enjoyment, even among those who used cannabis every day. This is contrary to the stereotypical portrayal we see on TV and in movies.” We do see this with a lot of TV shows, where people who smoke cannabis are portrayed as lazy stoners such as in shows like Breaking Bad and Stranger Things.

As funny as this stereotype might be when shown in pop culture, it is important to know that this is a myth and scientifically is not proven. The study does state how even though there may be some effects on motivation from cannabis in the long run, “… it seems cannabis may have no link – or at most only weak associations – with these outcomes in general. However, we need studies that look for these associations over a long period of time to confirm these findings.” So, now you know that if you smoke cannabis, it does not mean you will become a stereotypical “lazy stoner.” In fact, cannabis may have zero impacts on your motivation and ability to complete tasks. Again, as the researchers stated, more studies need to be done to confirm other effects.

I will call this myth = busted! Now we know that cannabis does not make you lazy, unmotivated, or have all characteristics of a “stoner.”

Sources: The Debrief, University of Cambridge

Images: Current, Nugg MD, The Wrap