Pot Linked to Slacking Off at Work

Here's a finding that seems to be a waste of research money: Smoking marijuana is linked to decreased motivation at work. But scientists aren't sure if the pot is to blame, or if people who tend to toke are a tad too chill to begin with—or so angry with work that they turn to smoking. "There's a popular belief that people who smoke cannabis are slackers and that they don't want to work," Norwegian researcher Christer Hyggen tells Reuters. Hyggen examined detailed questionnaires concerning subjects' pot smoking and attitude toward their jobs.

People who reported smoking marijuana also reported less dedication to work than abstainers, even controlling for other factors such as mental health, Hyggen found. Study findings also suggested that over time, "people who quit smoking cannabis increase their work commitment, and people who take up smoking cannabis reduce their work commitment," said Hyggen. (More research stories.)