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The most common stereotype of medical marijuana and recreational cannabis users is laziness.
Although popular culture strengthens this stoner stereotype — it couldn’t be further from the truth. Luckily, researchers did the legwork to prove that marijuana doesn’t make users more prone to apathy or laziness.
Below, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about this recent study and expand on marijuana’s stimulating attributes.
The Details Behind the New Cannabis Study on Motivation, Pleasure, and Effort-Based Decision Making
The data from a recently published article on cannabis concludes that cannabis users do not experience an increased risk of elevated apathy, difficulty in effort-based decision-making, or anhedonia (lack of pleasure).
In other words, consuming cannabis 3-4 times per week (or more) will not condemn you to a couch potato lifestyle. Compared with a control group (non-cannabis users) — marijuana users experience more pleasure in life.
Below, we’ll discuss each point brought up in the study to understand why cannabis isn’t the culprit for apathy or a lack of motivation.
Cannabis Does Not Decrease Pleasure
One of the most striking findings in the CannTeen study from UCL’s Clinical Psychopharmacology Unit is that regular cannabis users had lower instances of anhedonia than the control group.
Anhedonia is the term used to describe the inability to feel pleasure. Anhedonia rates are highest among depressed individuals.
Overall, the study found that the control group (non-cannabis users) experienced anhedonia at higher levels than cannabis users. A potential reason behind decreased risk of anhedonia is due to marijuana’s ability to lower instances of depression and anxiety.
Alternatively, non-cannabis users who did not use other coping mechanisms, such as yoga, meditation, and other forms of physical exercise, were more likely to experience anhedonia.
Cannabis Does Not Increase the Risk of Apathy or Laziness
Another hallmark finding within the CannTeen study is that cannabis consumption does not result in higher levels of apathy.
According to the study, the control and cannabis groups had nearly identical levels of willingness to expend effort for reward. In other words, consuming cannabis or remaining sober has little to do with an individual’s interest, enthusiasm, or concern for a given task.
This portion of the study is the most revealing in regard to the stereotype of lazy stoners. Instead, laziness and apathy are more likely tied to other factors, such as depression, anxiety, personal motivation, and so forth.
Ultimately, the point of this study was to research effort-based decision-making and if cannabis played a harmful role. As many in the cannabis community have long believed, cannabis is not the culprit when it comes to disinterest or laziness.
How Cannabis Stimulates the Mind and Body
If you’ve kept up with marijuana-related news over the last few years — you’re likely familiar with the stockpile of evidence showing the physical and mental benefits of cannabis.
Below, we’ll discuss how cannabis stimulates the mind and body to rise above the lazy stoner stereotype.
Cannabis Increases Physical Exercise Rates
According to a 2021 study published in the Harm Reduction Journal, researchers found that regular cannabis users participated in more physical exercise than non-cannabis users.
Due to the deeply ingrained belief that cannabis users are glued to the couch and live sedentary lives between bong rips, this study brought fresh air to the subject.
Although this study is essential in demolishing the lazy stoner stereotype — it proves a larger point surrounding marijuana use. Overall, most Americans do not meet the minimum physical exercise requirements due to lack of motivation, poor recovery, and general depression.
In other words, marijuana’s ability to decrease depression, stimulate recovery, and promote motivation spurs users to get outside and exercise.
As you can see, cannabis breaks through mental barriers to promote physical exercise. Although many Americans exercise without the need for cannabis — many are locked in a toxic cycle of depression and anxiety that decreases the chance of regular physical exercise.
Tailor Fit Medical Marijuana For Your Next Adventure Medical marijuana has reached a new frontier of pairing depending on your needs.
From specific terpene combinations to lab results for pinpoint cannabinoid profiles, MMJ patients can have a tailor-fit experience. You can now walk into a medical marijuana dispensary and ask the budtender for specific traits, such as high levels of limonene or pinene.
Whether you need to focus on your upcoming final exam or require a boost in motivation to bag a local peak — cannabis can help.
Don’t Mix Relaxation With Laziness
One of the hallmarks of cannabis is its potent ability to promote relaxation.
After a dose of a high-THC or CBD strain, your worries will likely drift away. Considering the hustle culture that we live in the United States, it’s no wonder that many non-users mix relaxation with laziness.
However, scientific studies show that cannabis doesn’t increase the risk of apathy. Instead, increased relaxation decreases the chance of depression and anxiety, resulting in increased motivation to enjoy life.
Enjoying the moment in a relaxed state is different from not doing something because you’re too depressed to find the motivation. By consuming cannabis, you may find yourself more motivated than not — leading to a more active lifestyle.
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