Long Term Drug Abuse And Brain Damage

[Pioneer1]

I'm sure most of you have grown up seeing those public service announcements and commercials warning you of the dangers of drug use.
How dangerous it and what it does to your brain and body.

Remember the dude who used to crack open eggs and fry them in skillets talking about "this is your brain on drugs"....lol.

I know that much of the drugs out on the streets are harmful and the negative effects and consequences are clearly observable.
However one consequence or negative effect doesn't seem to be quite as observable: INTELLECTUAL IMPAIRMENT.

If routine drug abuse supposedly "fries" the brain and ruins it, why aren't most long term drug users retarded or severely intellectually disabled?

You know people who've been smoking crack or using heroine for years.
You can usually tell by their emotional instability that they're "off" or have some sort of problem, but most of them aren't "stupid" as such.
They can hold conversations, be social, hold jobs, scam, cheat, come up with lies.
Things the average retarded/intellectually disabled person can't do.

There are many musicians, entertainers, actors, and even professionals in the academic world who are addicted and have spent YEARS abusing cocaine and heroin.
Why are they still able to think well and perform well and maintain their professions and even families?
Retarded and "slow" people can't do that.
Most people you knew as slow or intellectually disabled growing up couldn't even reach that level anyway.

I'm interested in hearing OPINIONS (because I know most of you aren't medical experts) on why years of rampant drug use by most people doesn't seem to severely damage their intellect.

[ProfD]

IMO, drug usage does not prevent a *normally* developed brain from absorbing and retaining information. 

 

Drugs and alcohol will temporarily impair a person's ability to making logical decisions and/or control their physical actions.

 

Apparently, there is no longer term neurological damage as a result of drug use because lifetime drug users operation just fine when they are not *high*.

 

On a side note...POTUS OJ just signed an executive order making cannabis a schedule 3 drug.  I believe that puts the US steps closer to federalizing weed usage.