Stoners Aren’t as Lazy or Unmotivated as People Think

A recent study surveyed 260 people who use cannabis at least three times a week. Participants received notifications in an app, where they had to answer whether they were high, describe their emotional state, and rate their levels of motivation, willingness to put in effort, and self-control.

The results showed that people who were high were just as motivated and willing to put in effort as when they were sober. However, chronic use lowers self-control and makes people more impulsive and less organized. The study also found that regular users experience more negative emotions in any state, whether high or sober.

Researchers did not find any signs of reduced emotional function or motivation the day after cannabis use.

“We found that behavior may change a little in the moment when people are high, but our data shows they are not lazy or lacking motivation at all,” said the study’s lead researcher, Inzlicht.