Study in the UK Debunks the 'Lazy Stoner' Myth
Research shows that cannabis use does not negatively interfere with people's effort or determination in their daily activities
By João R. Negromonte
Researchers from the University of Cambridge in the UK recently published a study investigating how routine cannabis consumption may affect people's motivation in their daily activities.
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The English term “lazy stoner,” widely used to refer to cannabis users as “lazy stoners,” reveals the negative stereotype associated with the topic, which still generates distrust and prejudice from society.
However, according to some scientists in the fields of psychiatry, neuroscience, and psychology, the research published in the scientific journal "International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology" conducted by the English university, presented a new perspective on this relationship.
According to the research, conducted with 274 adults aged between 26 and 29 years and teenagers aged 16 and 17 through a questionnaire, there was no behavioral difference between cannabis users and non-users.
For Will Lawn, researcher, physician, and professor at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience at King’s College London: “There is a lot of concern that cannabis use in adolescence may lead to worse outcomes than cannabis use in adulthood. Our study, one of the first to directly compare adolescents and adults who use cannabis, suggests that adolescents are not more vulnerable than adults to the harmful effects on motivation, pleasure experience, or the brain's reward response,” he emphasized.
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The questionnaire aimed to measure levels of anhedonia (loss of the ability to feel pleasure) and apathy (absence of emotions), as well as to describe how much they enjoy being with loved ones and the likelihood of completing tasks.
Thus, the results showed that cannabis use three to four days a week is not associated with apathy, challenging the stigma of being "lazy" and unmotivated that falls on those who consume it.
“In fact, it seems that cannabis may not be linked – or at most only weakly associated – with these outcomes. However, we need studies that look for these associations over a long period to confirm these findings,” Lawn added.
Despite the promising data from the research in the UK, experts emphasize that the use of cannabis by adolescents is not recommended, due to the immature development of neural cells, which may be affected by the abusive use of the plant's compounds.