(Unsplash / Jeff W)
A new study by English scientists may help punch holes in the idea that pot users are not motivated.
So much for the stereotype of lazy and stumbling stones like Seth Rogen’s Dale Denton in Pineapple Express.
A new peer-reviewed study Posted in International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology It indicates that cannabis users are no more likely to be apathetic and unmotivated than people who abstain from devil’s lettuce.
Led by scientists from the University of Cambridge, University College London and King’s College London, the study surveyed 274 adults and teens who used cannabis regularly and compared them with nonusers of the same age and sex.
The researchers asked participants to rate statements and answer questions designed to show their levels of apathy and anhedonia — reduced ability to experience pleasure or reward. The questions included queries such as how likely they were to see the project through to completion or how interested they were in learning new things.
According to the study, cannabis users scored slightly lower than nonusers on anhedonia – indicating that they enjoyed themselves better – and there was no significant difference when it came to apathy.
Furthermore, the researchers found no link between frequency of cannabis use and either apathy or anhedonia in those who were regular users.
“We were surprised to see that there was very little difference between cannabis users and non-users when it came to lack of motivation or lack of enjoyment, even among those who use cannabis every day,” said Martin Scomlin, a doctoral candidate at the University of Cambridge. In an online statement. “This goes against the stereotype we see on TV and movies.”
However, King’s College researcher Will Loon said in a statement that more long-term analysis on marijuana use and a lack of motivation or pleasure is needed to confirm the study findings.
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