Our Stoner recently fielded a question from a reader who wonders why he always loses his keys, wallets, phone, etc., after smoking dope. "How badly do blunts hurt my short-term memory?" he asked.

As Herbert Fuego noted, you don't need to be Homer Simpson to leave your keys in the doorknob all night. But he also pointed out that science agrees with the forgetful-stoner stereotype: Research old and new indicates that marijuana use can affect short-term memories, both in the present and the future, if you smoke a lot of it. That's because the main intoxicating compound in weed, THC, attaches to our brain receptors that are responsible for memory formation, including the hippocampus, amygdala and cerebral cortex.

But do readers agree that consuming cannabis affects their memory? Answers Jake: 

I'm sorry, I forgot what you were asking.

Adds Bryan: 

What was the question?

Says Leo: 

Well, first of all, I'd like to suggest that...uh.....um.....what was I talking about?

Counters Leon:

Funny. I've used cannabis for thirty years and don't have this problem.

Responds Pearl: 

It definitely did affect my short-term memory. Maybe it doesn't have that effect on everyone, but some of us=definitely.

Explains Alan:

It should also be noted that there is no evidence that cannabis use permanently alters short-term and prospective memory. Just speaking from my own anecdotal experience, once you abstain for a little while, the short-term and prospective memory issues cease.

Adds Jayjayjay: 

Honestly, not a problem. The only thing I have no problem with is losing negative people with narrow views who still believe imaginary stereotypes because their lives suck enough to care what others do with a legal substance that is attributed to zero deaths.

Suggests Trevor:

 This is a personal shortcoming. Stop trying to blame the weed for you always being a space cadet....

Responds Bill: 

Ask an ex-stoner: really bad for memory, really bad for school, really bad for learning song lyrics, really bad for learning anything, really bad for appearing to be a competent, employable person worth any pay.

Replies Connie: 

I actually get smarter when I'm stoned and remember everything! I'm more forgetful stone sober.

And then there's this from Dennis:

 If smoking pot is so bad for my memory, how come I NEVER forget to smoke it?

Good question, Dennis.

What do you think? Does cannabis affect your short-term memory? Post a comment or email [email protected]