Casually smoking marijuana a few times a week can significantly alter the human brain, according to a study published this week by the Journal of Neuroscience.

“That doesn’t necessarily correlate with an impaired function of the brain,” said Dr. Greg Gerdeman, Neuropharmacologist, Eckerd College.

Dr. Greg Gerdeman is a Neuropharmacologist and biology professor at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg. He raised those concerns in the national article published Wednesday.

Gerdeman said in the article, even with this study, if it was his kid he would rather they have a casual marijuana habit, than drink alcohol on a regular basis.

 “The relative harms of cannabis are less extensive than the harms of alcohol, it’s definitively more toxic and more harmful and causes more death and dysfunction in society,” he said.

That debate continues as the discussion to legalize marijuana heats up around the country.

“It’s a drug and it distorts your brain and your hallucination and the way you see things,” said one person in St. Petersburg.

Dr. Gerdeman said it’s important for the research to continue just as the debate will. Dr. Gerdeman said he also believes the study is somewhat biased.

He said that’s based on the fact the anti-drug agencies funded the research.