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Duke Study On Marijuana And IQ Challenged

Research supported by Duke University scientists linking marijuana use to a drop in I-Q is being questioned. 

Last August researchers at Duke published a study that followed habitual users of marijuana in New Zealand before they turned 18. Subjects of that study showed an average drop of eight I-Q points when their aptitude was measured. 

The News and Observer reports a Norwegian researcher is now disputing the study. That scientist says his research shows factors such as education, income and job status among the study's participants may also  have contributed to a downward trend in their I-Q.  Duke researchers learned of the Norwegian study a week ago.  They conducted more analysis of the data and stand by their findings.  Scientists independent of both analyses have looked at the findings and concluded that neither study definitively determines a cause for lower I-Q.

Gurnal Scott joined North Carolina Public Radio in March 2012 after several stops in radio and television. After graduating from the College of Charleston in his South Carolina hometown, he began his career in radio there. He started as a sports reporter at News/Talk Radio WTMA and won five Sportscaster of the Year awards. In 1997, Gurnal moved on to television as general assignment reporter and weekend anchor for WCSC-TV in Charleston. He anchored the market's top-rated weekend newscasts until leaving Charleston for Memphis, TN in 2002. Gurnal worked at WPTY-TV for two years before returning to his roots in radio. He joined the staff of Memphis' NewsRadio 600 WREC in 2004 eventually rising to News Director. In 2006, Raleigh news radio station WPTF came calling and he became the station's chief correspondent. Gurnal’s reporting has been honored by the South Carolina Broadcasters Association, the North Carolina Associated Press, and the Radio Television Digital News Association of the Carolinas.
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