Cannabis Use Doesn't Appear to Worsen Memory Problems in People Living with HIV
Despite concerns about compounding cognitive effects, regular cannabis use was not associated with worse prospective memory in people with HIV, and those using for both medical and recreational reasons trended toward better performance.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Cannabis use (including regular use) was not significantly associated with prospective memory (MIST) scores in 307 people with HIV after adjusting for confounders; combined recreational-therapeutic motivation showed a nonsignificant trend toward better performance (β=0.28, p=0.067).
Key Numbers
307 PWH; 79% regular cannabis users; no significant association β=-0.04 (95% CI: -0.29 to 0.21, p=0.74); combined motivation trend β=0.28 (95% CI: -0.02 to 0.57, p=0.067).
How They Did This
Cross-sectional study of 307 people with HIV (79% regular cannabis users) completing the Memory for Intentions Test, with analysis of use status, THC dose, frequency, duration, age of first use, and motivation.
Why This Research Matters
People with HIV already face memory challenges, and many use cannabis — this reassuring finding suggests cannabis doesn't compound HIV-related cognitive problems, at least for prospective memory.
The Bigger Picture
This adds to evidence that cannabis's cognitive effects may be context-dependent — in populations already managing chronic illness, the picture is more nuanced than 'cannabis impairs memory.'
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Cross-sectional design; predominantly regular users (79%) limits comparator group; MIST captures prospective memory only; unmeasured confounders possible; self-reported THC dose is imprecise.
Questions This Raises
- ?Does the trend toward better performance in dual-motivation users reflect self-medication benefits?
- ?Would longitudinal data show cumulative effects not captured cross-sectionally?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Evidence Grade:
- Adequately powered cross-sectional study with appropriate confounding adjustment, but limited by single cognitive measure and predominantly regular-user sample.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2026, addressing a common concern among the large population of people with HIV who use cannabis.
- Original Title:
- Evaluating Cross-Sectional Associations Between Cannabis Use and Prospective Memory in People with HIV.
- Published In:
- AIDS and behavior, 30(1), 107-117 (2026)
- Authors:
- Britton, Mark K(2), Haddad, Elie, Li, Yancheng(2), Porges, Eric C, Chichetto, Natalie E, Somboonwit, Charurut, Ibañez, Gladys E, Cohen, Ronald A, Cook, Robert L
- Database ID:
- RTHC-08138
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Does cannabis worsen memory in people with HIV?
This study found no significant association between cannabis use and prospective memory in 307 people with HIV, including those who used regularly — a reassuring finding for this population.
Does it matter why you use cannabis?
Interestingly, people who used cannabis for both medical and recreational reasons showed a trend toward better memory performance, though this didn't reach statistical significance.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-08138APA
Britton, Mark K; Haddad, Elie; Li, Yancheng; Porges, Eric C; Chichetto, Natalie E; Somboonwit, Charurut; Ibañez, Gladys E; Cohen, Ronald A; Cook, Robert L. (2026). Evaluating Cross-Sectional Associations Between Cannabis Use and Prospective Memory in People with HIV.. AIDS and behavior, 30(1), 107-117. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-025-04851-3
MLA
Britton, Mark K, et al. "Evaluating Cross-Sectional Associations Between Cannabis Use and Prospective Memory in People with HIV.." AIDS and behavior, 2026. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-025-04851-3
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Evaluating Cross-Sectional Associations Between Cannabis Use..." RTHC-08138. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/britton-2026-evaluating-crosssectional-associations-between
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.