The Chronic Effects of Cannabis on Memory in Humans: A Review
Nadia Solowij*,1,2,3 and Robert Battisti1
Short-term memory problems are among the most frequently self-reported consequences of cannabis use by individuals who use the drug and are commonly reported reasons for seeking to quit or reduce cannabis use. The perception that cannabis impairs short-term memory has become ingrained in the general community and in popular culture and lay literature. Even where a perception exists that cannabis is a relatively benign drug, when asked whether it might have any deleterious effects, short-term memory will often be the first thing that comes to mind in the average person asked on the street, and memory problems are the butt of numerous jokes and anecdotes about cannabis users.
Together with amotivation or apathy, (and perhaps paranoia), memory problems define the prototypical and caricatured image of the chronic cannabis user.
