General Discussion

I couldn't possibly count the number of times I've heard here and elsewhere the confusion between the term "peer reviewed" and the word "truth." They're are not synonymous by any means.

I sometimes post links to articles from the wonderful website Retraction Watch. (I recently posted over in the science forum a link to an article from that discussed the link between pregnancy and performance in mathematics. )

The scientific literature, like all human discourse, particularly in the age of the internet and now AI, is increasingly polluted. None of this is said to invalidate or impugn anything about the science or the scientists whose work you have referenced, but only to note that all responses to information require critical thinking.

Scientists, even great scientists, can be, and often are, wrong. It is widely held, and in my opinion, correctly widely accepted that Albert Einstein was wrong in almost all of his scientific arguments with his good friend Neils Bohr. This in no way impugn Einstein of course.

I have not read the article you cited, am not familiar with institution or the authors. I have only skimmed your headline.

Over the years here I've gotten a lot of negative pushback with respect to my opinions on pot. It's gotten so that I often don't want to be involved in it.

I can say this: Brain size does not correlate well with brain performance. This is well known. No one expects that if we hooked up a being with opposable thumbs and additional digits to an elephant's brain the result would produce genius. Brain swelling can and often does degrade brain function.

I wish I could say that I am unfamiliar with the consequences of pot use and - at the risk of generating DU outrage - pot addiction, but I'm not. On this basis I cannot applaud its use. This is not to say that I favor criminal sanctions against pot, only that I do not favor use.

I can usually expect that someone will pipe in that alcohol use is worse than pot use.

The logic of this statement is similar to making a statement that since pancreatic cancer is worse than breast cancer, having breast cancer is OK.

I'm unimpressed with the "alcohol is worse" argument.

To be clear, although alcohol can be bad for one, I will enjoy a glass or two of champagne when the orange pedophile in the White House shuffles off his mortal coil and faces "what dreams may come" as Shakespeare had Hamlet saying about kicking off.

May we be drinking our bubbly soon...

Thanks, as always, my friend.