Weed wears on the teen brain

Image courtesy: Blogs.WSJ.com

As 4/20 approaches, many americans—whether legally or not—will light up a doubie for the annual cannabis holiday.

While smoking a joint has been proven to ease the pain or burden of multiple sclerosis, glaucoma, and cancer treatments, it can also slow the developing teenage brain, according to Krista Lisdahl, director of brain imaging and neuropsychology lab at University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.  

Early marijuana use, defined as starting before the ages 16--18, is associated with more serious cognitive consequences such as poorer attention, visual search and reduced overall or verbal IQ, according to a study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry.

In fact, after researchers observed several groups of people who did and did not smoke weed after an 8 year period, those engaged in chronic--no pun intended--marijuana use during teenage years is associated with neurocognitive deficits like poorer attention functioning, memory and processing speed, according to the study.

The common misconception surrounding smoking weed is that it's harmless. In the National Institute of Health survey released December 2013, the results showed that not only are eighth through twelfth graders smoking more weed, they don’t think lighting a joint does anything to them. According to the NIH survey, nearly 40 percent of twelfth graders perceive weed smoking as harmful, which was a decrease from nearly 45 percent from the previous year.

During an interview with NPR reporter Linda Wertheimer, Lisadahl said the higher THC levels present in today’s herb is making it more potent that it was in ‘70s, causing the increased potency and risk for addiction.

Whether you're opposed to smoking bud or in favor it's benefits and effects, it's clear that too much of anything (and indulging too early in life) can have unintended health consequences.