Cannabis, Tobacco Co-Use Impairs Cognition

New research published in Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, led by Heather Burrell Ward>>> and co-investigator Ricardo E. Carrion>>>, reveals that co-use of Cannabis and Tobacco>>> is associated with lower cognitive performance in adolescents and young adults at clinical high risk for psychosis. The study, supported by United States — National Institutes of Health>>> grants, analyzed data from the North American Prodrome Longitudinal Study 2, involving 734 at-risk individuals and 278 healthy controls. It found that co-users performed worse on neuropsychological tests compared to healthy controls. Surprisingly, at-risk individuals who abstained from all substances also showed lower cognitive performance and social function, suggesting a distinct socially impaired subtype. Cameron S. Carter>>>, Editor-in-Chief of the journal, emphasized the study's importance for early intervention. The findings highlight the need for comprehensive substance use assessment in early psychosis clinics and inform future mental health strategies, especially as co-use prevalence rises in the United States>>>.