Older adults who consume cannabis for chronic pain show no differences in cognitive performance as compared to non-users, according to data published in the journal Drug & Alcohol Review.
Israeli researchers assessed the cognitive capabilities of 63 long-term medical cannabis consumers versus 62 non-using controls. (Medical cannabis is permitted by prescription in Israel.) Participants in the study all suffered from chronic pain and averaged 61 years of age. Cognitive tests used in the study assessed participants’ memory recall, reaction time, and ability to learn new information, among other performance measures.