Final answer:
It is true that marijuana can interfere with long-term memory, particularly with those who start using at a young age, due to its effect on brain development and cognitive functions.
Step-by-step explanation:
It is true that marijuana may interfere with long-term memory. Research suggests that individuals who began using marijuana as teenagers are particularly at risk for developing problems with thinking, memory, and learning due to alterations in brain development. This is supported by evidence indicating that marijuana can cause various cognitive impairments, especially when used frequently or when exposure occurs during pivotal stages of brain development, such as adolescence. Additionally, marijuana use can have short-term effects, such as trouble with thinking, problem-solving, and memory, which while temporary can also contribute to the difficulty in forming new memories. These short-term effects reflect the impact that marijuana has on the brain while high, which includes altered sense of time, mood changes, and altered senses, in general.
Marijuana's potential impact on memory is a significant concern and forms part of the wider debate on its use, legalization, and societal perceptions. Shifting public attitudes and the movement towards decriminalisation have highlighted the need to understand marijuana's effects thoroughly, especially because of the drug's historical characterization as a societal danger and the stereotypes attached to its users. While the cognitive effects of marijuana on long-term memory are a primary health concern, they also intersect with larger social issues and debates regarding drug policy, incarceration, and racial disparities in drug-related arrests.