Researchers performed scans on 16 to 19-year-olds from three groups: those who were binge drinkers, binge drinkers who smoke pot and those who hardly drink or smoke at all.

Binge drinkers showed damage to the brain in their white matter — one of the two components of the central nervous system — but those who drank and smoked had brains in better shape.

Bruce Mirken, director of communications for the nationwide Marijuana Policy Project, said the results of the study are an example of the type of issue they try to draw attention to as an advocacy group that focuses on lobbying for the legalization of marijuana.

“Unfortunately, the whole marijuana debate has often been built around myths more than actual data,” Mirken said. “If you actually look at the science, what you see is while no drug is completely harmless, marijuana compared to other drugs is comparatively benign and in some ways potentially helpful.”

Mirken said results, such as the ones in the study, are the type of issue they try to point out to lawmakers and to the public.

“It’s obviously just one piece of the puzzle, but it’s a meaningful piece because it comes in the context of a fair amount of other data, particularly the active components in marijuana that can protect nerve cells from various types of damage,” he said. “There are active components in marijuana that can help protect the brain from harm. The one everyone knows is (tetrahydrocannabinol — commonly known as THC) which makes you high, but there’s a bunch of other components in marijuana as well.”

Not everyone agrees that the study proves marijuana helps the brain after drinking, however.

Becky Allen, a health educator at Olin Health Center, said what is problematic is that the press saw fit to interpret the study themselves.

“The researchers clearly indicate there are limitations to the study and further exploration is necessary before any specific claims can or should be made,” Allen said. “I would say at this point, the results are intriguing but not even close to conclusive.”

Although the study shows marijuana might help after binge drinking, because of the taboo toward both subjects, an isolated study such as this one would not necessarily encourage students to partake in smoking following binge drinking, premedical freshman Michelle Wayne said.

“Maybe if there was more evidence showing it helped,” Wayne said.

Another factor that could discourage students from trying smoking after drinking heavily is that both activities are still harmful, Wayne said.

“They’re both something that hurts your body,” she said. “Two wrongs won’t help you.”