Smoking weed affects play?

[certifiable]

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I've smoked almost constantly for the last 7 years and gave up, for good, early March. My memory has vastly improved

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generating new neural pathways is always fun [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[Mental]

Very well said certifiable.

[hERESY]

I'm studying neuroscience and playing poker right now. That's my whole life.

I quit smoking weed on may 15th 2006, 20 years old, weigh 150 pounds, and smoked ~1 gram of chron-diggity/day before I quit.

Recently, almost a year later, I started smoking again for about a two week period. I even got a chance to go to the casino and play a $100/160 NLHE tourney blazed.

Marijuana, unlike cocaine or alcohol, has very subtle negative effects. As you probably know, marijuana has a half-life of approximately two weeks, and that number fluxuates based on how much you smoke.

Since then I've quit, and haven't smoked in two weeks (except one hit of keef during a hair cut because that was a unique opportunity).

In retrospect, those few weeks I was smoking were marked by a major slump in amount of knowledge learned/day. Keep in mind, not learning as much per day is just as applicable to poker as it is to school.

The experiment (smoking again) <i>SHOULD</i> have been interprited as a slap in the face, but as I'm taking a trip to the netherlands as soon as I get out this semester, I do plan on smoking once again. How pitiful--I realize what compulsive behaviors reduce my overall equity/day in school and poker, but can't make the firm resolution, quitting for once and all, that I know would be most profitable in all aspects of my life.

It is different for different people, but let me assure you that the negative aspects of smoking weed aren't readily available to you only because we just don't know them yet. Memory is of course one of the most researched topics in neuroscience, as it is so fundamental, but you would be suprised just how little we know about it.

THCs effects on cannabinoid receptors have been more solidified than cannabinoids receptors implications for memory. But let me assure you, cannabinoid receptors are dense in the hippocampus, and this region is implicated (you won't find anybody who says 'proven' in their research, but it's proven) in forming new memories.

You can do a bit of research for yourself concerning the hippocampus, cannabinoid receptors role in the hippocampus, and marijuana's effects on cannibinoid receptors, but you're not going to find a 'yes' or 'no' to any questions you have.

Just keep in mind--much does happen on a molecular level when you smoke that you nor I know about. Quite a gamble we take to see movies a little differently.

Oh.. also.. give yourself a 3 week long break, let it get out of your system, and then make judgements about how marijuana effects your game... even though the acute effects go away in, what, 5 hours?

Peace,
-Tommy

[joostvl]

I live in Holland, and I smoke quite often. (as everybody would imagine [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] ) And as I see it, it can help you focus on your game. But only when you smoke really a little bit. I notice that I'm more focused on what's going on and I don't get distracted that easy. But when I smoke a lot it has the same effect as being drunk, and you will make poor decisions.
But since I began playing higher stakes I quit completly to play when I'm stoned, because I believe I'm sharper when I'm sober...