Cannabis consumers or 鈥榮toners鈥� are often associated with characteristics of laziness and a lack of motivation, especially in mainstream media. Think Jesse Pinkman from Breaking Bad or 鈥淭he Dude鈥� in The Big Lebowski.
But a new suggests that this stereotype has no scientific basis, and that cannabis users are just as motivated as everyone else.
Published in the International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology on Aug. 24, researchers from the University College London, the University of Cambridge and King鈥檚 College London found that cannabis has a limited or weak link with feelings of apathy or not experiencing pleasure.
鈥淭here鈥檚 been a lot of concern that cannabis use in adolescence might lead to worse outcomes than cannabis use during adulthood,鈥� Dr. Will Lawn, one of the study鈥檚 co-authors, said in a release.
鈥淏ut our study 鈥� suggests that adolescents are no more vulnerable than adults to the harmful effects of cannabis on motivation, the experience of pleasure, or the brain鈥檚 response to reward.鈥�
, cannabis is the third most commonly used psychoactive substance in the world, after alcohol and nicotine.
In 2013, an estimated 181.8 million people globally aged 15-64 used cannabis for non-medical purposes, according to the WHO, with the highest rates of cannabis use reported among adolescents and young adults.
The researchers wanted to investigate whether cannabis has an impact on users鈥� level of apathy, anhedonia (loss of interest in or pleasure from rewards) and whether it made them lazier to achieve a reward.
The team compared 274 adult and adolescent cannabis users who had used at least once a week for the past three months, with non-users of the same age and gender.
All participants were given questionnaires that measured their degrees of apathy along with enthusiasm toward completing their work.
The study found that cannabis users appeared to be better able to enjoy themselves than non-users, ranking slightly lower on anhedonia. There was no difference between both groups鈥� levels of apathy.
It was also revealed that the frequency of cannabis consumption had no impact on either apathy or anhedonia.
鈥淲e were surprised to see that there was really very little difference between cannabis users and non-users when it came to lack of motivation or lack of enjoyment, even among those who used cannabis every day,鈥� Martine Skumlien, one of the study鈥檚 co-authors said in a release.
鈥淭his is contrary to the stereotypical portrayal we and in movies.鈥�
The researchers also looked into the drug鈥檚 potential impact on users鈥� level of physical effort towards a task. It was found that in all age groups, both users and non-users displayed the same level of effort to achieve a reward.
鈥淲e鈥檙e so used to seeing 鈥榣azy stoners鈥� on our screens that we don鈥檛 stop to ask whether they鈥檙e an accurate representation of cannabis users,鈥� Skumlien added.
鈥淥ur work implies that this is in itself a lazy stereotype and that people who use cannabis are no more likely to lack motivation or be lazier than people who don鈥檛.鈥�
Further studies will be needed to completely rule out the possibility of negative impacts on users鈥� brains, the researchers said.
