Key ingredient staves off marijuana memory loss Cannabis
composition determines effects on the brain. Oct. 1, 2010 By
Arran Frood Smoking cannabis has long been associated with poor
short-term memory, but a study now suggests that the strain of
cannabis makes all the difference. In a test of short-term
memory skills, only users of “skunk”-type strains exhibited
impaired recall when intoxicated, whereas people who smoked
hashish or herbal cannabis blends performed equally well whether
they were stoned or sober. The findings suggest that an
ingredient more plentiful in some types of marijuana than in
others may help to reduce the memory loss that some users
suffer. The key difference between the types of cannabis is the
ratio of two chemicals found in all strains.
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the primary active ingredient, and
is responsible for the effects associated with the classic
“high,” including euphoria and giddiness but also anxiety and
paranoia. The second chemical, cannabidiol, has more calming
effe