The Checkup: Teens Who Smoke Pot Are Actually Dumber

• All those 80s stoner films were way ahead of their time, it seems. A new study out of Duke University found that persistent marijuana use during adolescence can cost you some serious IQ points. The study, which looked at more than 1,000 New Zealanders, found an average decline of eight IQ points between the ages of 13 and 38 among regular pot smokers. “While eight IQ points may not sound like a lot on a scale where 100 is the mean, a loss from an IQ of 100 to 92 represents a drop from being in the 50th percentile to being in the 29th,” according to an article about the study on Futurity.org. Age is the key, here: When people start smoking pot at a younger age (while their brains are still developing), the damage is worse. The study found that people who took up pot smoking as adults did not show similar mental declines, which I’m sure some of you will be happy yo hear. (Psst, parents! Scary stuff, right? If you’re looking for a way to make sure your kid never smokes pot again, you could try this South Carolina mom’s method of public humiliation. Just a suggestion.)

• Sing it from the rooftop, folks: Chocolate is good for your brain! (At least, for older people, anyway.)

• Don’t know yet who you’re voting for this November? Your genes may help you decide, apparently.