Cannabis is not known for its ability to focus the mind. Cannabis is often viewed as a drug that makes people unmotivated and unable to concentrate. There is some truth to this stigma. Smoking too much cannabis or using the wrong type of marijuana may leave users confused.
Cannabis has many different effects. The story of cannabis and concentration is not as straightforward as you might think. It is also possible for this powerful plant to produce the opposite and enhance mental performance. Some cannabis users claim that cannabis makes them more focused and alert.
“I find my focus with cannabis,” says Betsy Kabaker, a 24-year-old marketing consultant in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Kabaker says, “It allows me to focus on one thing at a time.”
Kabaker was prescribed a variety of ADHD drugs by her doctors as she grew up. These included Dexedrine Ritalin, and Adderall. However, all of these pills had severe side effects including daily nausea, agitation and sleepless nights.
Kabaker claims that the water “washed away” his personality. “Personality is something I find important to be able express,” he says.
She found that cannabis had only positive effects when she used it to treat ADHD. She says, “Cannabis has a positive effect on my mood.” Adderall negatively affects her mood and she becomes antisocial. Cannabis is social for me.”
How does cannabis help to improve focus according to scientific research?
The answer to this question is complex. When scientists at Florida International University designed a study to see if cannabis negatively impacts focus — or “motivation” — in adolescents, the results were not what they had expected. The researchers reported in December 2017 that they found no association between cannabis use and motivation. This could be due to the fact that cannabis can affect motivation both negatively and positively.
On the other hand, a 2011 study published in the European Journal of Neuroscience Researchers have found that ADHD is caused by misfiring of the endocannabinoid receptor system in mice.
Cannabis may help other conditions which affect concentration. However, more research is needed. In a recent Alzheimer’s Study, chronic low-dose THC was shown to restore cognitive function in old mice.
But until the science can develop, those who suffer from conditions that diminish focus may find relief by activating the endocannabinoid system with cannabis.
Nelson Ricardo (a 30-year old product development manager in San Jose California) says that smoking cannabis makes him more productive. Ricardo claims that when he smokes cannabis, he becomes more productive.
Choosing the strain can be crucial when it comes to using cannabis for focus. Other strains may worsen the situation. Ricardo says he prefers uplifting strains. Kabaker also agrees. Indica dominant hybrids such as Afgoo and Girl Scout Cookies are better for those who feel sativas can cause anxiety.
Cannabis might cause a lack of focus for some, but for Betsy, Nelson and so many others, cannabis provides exactly what is needed — motivation, energy and focus. We need to get rid of old stereotypes and look at the whole picture.
Original published in print edition of Cannabis Now. LEARN MORE.
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