With most states legalizing marijuana/cannabis for recreational or medicinal use, overall attitudes about the substance have softened. However, it’s important that parents not overlook the potential dangers and long-lasting effects the drug can have on their adolescent children.
In fact, recent research by scientists at the University of Montreal has shown that marijuana may be more harmful to teenagers’ brains than alcohol.
The study, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, showed that regular marijuana use during adolescence can have long-lasting effects on a teenager’s thinking and cognitive abilities.
Over 3,800 teens from 31 schools reported their marijuana and alcohol use annually, starting at age 13. They completed computer-based tests to assess their memory, reasoning, and cognitive control. In general, teens who reported marijuana use performed worse than those who did not.
More alarming, even after students reported stopping marijuana use, their cognition did not improve.
The University of Montreal study isn’t the first research to suggest that marijuana can be detrimental to the developing teenage brain. When University of Pennsylvania scientists analyzed 69 studies involving younger cannabis users, they found teenagers and young adults who used marijuana frequently were more likely to have slightly lower scores when tested for memory, problem-solving, information processing, and the ability to learn new information when compared to non-users.
Another study, led by researchers from the University of Toronto, found an 11 times higher risk of developing a psychotic disorder among teenagers who used cannabis compared with those who did not. When the analysis was limited to just emergency room visits and hospitalizations, there was a 27-fold increase in psychotic disorders in teenagers who had used the drug.
As a parent, being aware of these risks is crucial for supporting your child’s health and development.
Yes, Cannabis Can Be Addictive
Contrary to popular belief, people can and do become dependent on cannabis. And as the above studies have shown, habitual use can have long-lasting negative effects on teenagers’ still-developing brains.
Cannabis dependence, often referred to as cannabis addiction, is a condition where using cannabis (marijuana) leads to significant problems in a person’s life. According to medical guidelines, this happens when a person experiences at least three of the following issues within a year:
- Increased Tolerance: Needing to use more cannabis to get the same effect, or finding that the usual amount has less effect over time.
- Withdrawal Symptoms: Feeling withdrawal symptoms when not using cannabis, or using it to avoid these symptoms.
- Using More Than Intended: Taking cannabis in larger amounts or for a longer time than planned.
- Difficulty Cutting Down: Wanting to reduce cannabis use but struggling to do so.
- Time Spent on Cannabis: Spending a lot of time obtaining, using, or recovering from cannabis.
- Impact on Life: Giving up important activities or hobbies because of cannabis use.
- Continuing Despite Problems: Using cannabis despite knowing it’s causing or worsening physical or mental health issues.
A Comprehensive Approach to Recovery
If you or someone you know is facing these challenges with cannabis, it’s important to seek help from a healthcare professional.
ETHOS’s Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP) for adolescents focus on teens, ages 13-18, who have a substance use disorder or a mental health concern in conjunction with a substance use disorder. To learn more about ETHOS’s substance use disorder program, visit https://www.ethostreatment.com/contact.