Fact checked by Nick Blackmer Emerging research has linked heavy cannabis use to multiple health risks, including stroke and heart attack. Now, a new study suggests that frequent use of cannabis may also damage the brain’s working memory.

A massive new study sheds light on how cannabis affects the brain, particularly during cognitive tasks. Researchers analyzed over 1,000 young adults and found that both heavy lifetime use and recent cannabis consumption significantly reduced brain activity during working memory tasks.

L ong-term heavy cannabis use could have a detrimental effect on an aspect of cognition called working memory, according to the results of a massive new brain imaging study. Even when not stoned, heavy users displayed reduced activity in key brain regions when performing a series of cognitive tasks, resulting in poorer test scores.

A new study published today in JAMA Network Open explores the effects of both recent and lifetime cannabis use on brain function during cognitive tasks.

The myth that cannabis is harmless because it’s natural has been further debunked—by scientists in a pot-friendly state.

Lifetime history of heavy cannabis use is associated with lower brain activation on working memory tasks among young adults, according to a study published online Jan. 28 in JAMA Network Open. Joshua L.