Study Shows Cognitive Impairment May Be an Issue for Long-Term Users of Medical Marijuana

Many multiple sclerosis (MS) patients use marijuana to ease pain and other symptoms associated with the disorder, but the practice might make one common symptom worse.

MS patients in a small study who smoked or ingested marijuana regularly for many years were twice as likely as non-users to show significant evidence of cognitive impairment when subjected to a battery of tests that measure thinking skills.

The study was published in the journal Neurology.

By some estimates, as many as 60% of patients with multiple sclerosis have some problems with attention, learning, or memory, ranging from mild to severe.

Study researcher Anthony Feinstein MD, PhD, of the Sunnybrook Health Services Center and the University of Toronto, says patients who use marijuana risk exacerbating these symptoms.

“Whatever benefits patients feel they might be getting from smoking marijuana might come at the cost of further cognitive compromise,” Feinstein tells WebMD.

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