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Dear Stoner: I love to read after smoking weed, but lately I can’t remember anything. I’ll smoke a couple bowls, read four or five chapters, and then barely retain anything. Have you dealt with this, and is there anything I can do about it?
Hazy Historian
Dear Hazy Historian: Long-term cannabis use impacts our memories, but there are probably a few factors at play, such as your age, THC tolerance and the herb and literature involved. My short-term memory is definitely worse as I get older, and my cannabis use increases as my tolerance grows. If you’re a regular cannabis user, it’s probably time to take a short break or reduce toking time to reset or weaken your THC tolerance.
Elsa Olofsson/Unsplash
Stick to a few hits before reading instead of multiple bowls, and make sure you’re not getting distracted by your phone or life, because stoned interruptions only weaken an already-crispy memory. Consider taking fish oil or a nutritional memory supplement, and reconsider the books you choose for weed-and-read sessions. Anything involving ancient names or sci-fi lore is a non-starter for me — ain’t no way I’m remembering that shit after a bong rip — so maybe it’s time for more traditional fiction.
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Herbert Fuego is the pseudonym of a longtime Westword staffer eager to answer your weed questions. Send them to marijuana@westword.com