What cognitive error is illustrated when an individual believes smoking a small amount of marijuana will not affect them because they smoke cigarette packs?

The scenario described highlights a cognitive error where the individual assumes that their experience with smoking cigarettes translates directly to being unaffected by marijuana, primarily because they have engaged in a similar activity. This reflects causal oversimplification—an error in reasoning where one assumes that the cause-and-effect relationship is straightforward and ignores the complexities involved.

In this case, the individual overlooks the different effects that marijuana and cigarettes can have on the body and mind. Just because they habitually smoke cigarettes, they simplify the situation by concluding that the same should apply to marijuana usage without considering its distinct physiological and psychological impacts. This demonstrates a failure to recognize that even small amounts of a different substance can have different results, illustrating the pitfalls of oversimplifying causal relationships.