Cannabis has a bad reputation when it comes to mental focus. There\u2019s a common perception that cannabis kills concentration, leaving smokers spacey and unmotivated. And let\u2019s face it, there\u2019s validity to the stigma, because it\u2019s true that indulging in too much or smoking the wrong strain of marijuana can leave consumers in a confused place.<\/p>\n
Still, cannabis has a wide range of effects, so the story about cannabis and focus isn\u2019t as simple as it seems. This powerful plant can also have the opposite effect and actually improve mental functionality. Many cannabis users report that cannabis helps them stay more engaged and clear-minded.<\/p>\n
\u201cI find my focus with cannabis,\u201d says Betsy Kabaker, a 24-year-old marketing consultant in the\u00a0San Francisco<\/a>\u00a0Bay Area.<\/p>\n \u201cIt just allows me to tap into that space where I\u2019m only focused on that one activity that I\u2019m doing,\u201d Kabaker says.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Growing up, Kabaker\u2019s doctors prescribed her a long line of different ADHD medications, including Dexedrine, Ritalin and Adderall. All of the pills, however, came with brutal side effects, such as daily vomiting, agitation, sleepless nights and a racing heart.<\/p>\n \u201cIt washed away my personality,\u201d Kabaker says, \u201cand I think that personality is such an important thing to be able to express.\u201d<\/p>\n When she tried using cannabis to treat her ADHD, she found it only came with positive side effects. \u201cCannabis affects my mood positively,\u201d she says. \u201cAdderall affects my mood negatively and makes me antisocial. Cannabis makes me social.\u201d<\/p>\n But what does scientific research say about cannabis\u2019s ability to help with focus?<\/p>\n The answer is complicated. When scientists at Florida International University designed a study to see if cannabis negatively impacts focus \u2014 or \u201cmotivation\u201d \u2014 in adolescents, the results were not what they had expected. The researchers\u00a0reported in December 2017<\/a>\u00a0that they found no association between cannabis use and motivation. However, this may be because cannabis seems to affect focus both positively and negatively, and the results were therefore influenced by respondents reporting that cannabis both improved and impeded their motivation.<\/p>\n On the other hand,\u00a0a 2011 study<\/a>\u00a0published in the\u00a0European Journal of Neuroscience<\/i>\u00a0found that misfirings of the endocannabinoid system (the system of receptors in the body that interacts with cannabis\u2019s active ingredients) have actually been linked to ADHD in mice.<\/p>\n While more research needs to be done, cannabis may also help with other conditions that affect focus. For example, a recent Alzheimer\u2019s study showed that a chronic low dose of THC restored cognitive function in older mice.<\/p>\n But until the science can develop, those who suffer from conditions that diminish focus may find relief by activating the\u00a0endocannabinoid system<\/a>\u00a0with cannabis.<\/p>\n For example, Nelson Ricardo, a 30-year-old product development supervisor in San Jose, California, says that when he smokes cannabis, he is more productive. \u201cI get super concentrated and not distracted by anything, and because of that I\u2019m able to produce and get things done faster,\u201d Ricardo says.<\/p>\n Choosing the\u00a0strain<\/a>\u00a0can be crucial when it comes to using cannabis for focus. Some strains help while others may make things worse. Both Ricardo and Kabaker say they focus best with uplifting sativas, naming strains like Jack Herer or Lemon Haze. For those who find sativas to be anxiety producing, indica-dominant hybrids like Afgoo or Girl Scout Cookies may be a better fit.<\/p>\n Cannabis might cause a lack of focus for some, but for Betsy, Nelson and so many others, cannabis provides exactly what is needed \u2014 motivation, energy and focus. It is time to throw out the old stereotype and see the complex picture.<\/p>\n Originally published in Issue 32 of Cannabis Now.\u00a0LEARN MORE<\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n TELL US<\/b>, does cannabis help you concentrate or cause your mind to drift?<\/p>\n The post How Smokers Use Certain Strains to Boost Their Focus<\/a> appeared first on Cannabis Now<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Cannabis has a bad reputation when it comes to mental focus. There\u2019s a common perception that cannabis kills concentration, leaving smokers spacey and unmotivated. And let\u2019s face it, there\u2019s validity to the stigma, because it\u2019s true that indulging in too much or smoking the wrong strain of marijuana can leaveContinue Reading<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":48,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"false","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[6857,6858,6859,50,263,6860,6861,85,5279,53],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31622"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/48"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31622"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31622\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31623,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31622\/revisions\/31623"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31622"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31622"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31622"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n
\n
\nRead More: How Smokers Use Certain Strains to Boost Their Focus<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"