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The compounds in marijuana include tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC, which is

an impairing or mind-altering effects on the brain interfering with memory, reaction times,

concentration and judgement. Infants, children and teens who still have developing brains are

highly susceptible to the harmful effects of marijuana. Marijuana usage has a variety of health

effects on the body and more importantly, the brain. In mental health, it causes disorientation

and feelings of anxiety and paranoia. Schizophrenia is just one of the lasting effects of

marijuana over long periods of time. This mental illness causes people to see or hear things that

aren’t there. People who use marijuana daily, or nearly daily develop psychosis which causes

hallucinations. 7.4% of people with psychotic experiences developed a psychotic disorder.

Marijuana also causes depression, social anxiety thoughts of suicide, suicidal attempts and

suicide.

These findings raise the possibility of a dose-response relationship between marijuana

use and transition to psychosis. In patients with a preexisting condition of psychosis, cannabis

use is associated with antipsychotic nonadherence, illness relapse and longer hospitalizations.

1. Volkow ND, Swanson JM, Evins AE, et al. Effects of cannabis use on human behavior, including cognition, motivation, and psychosis: a review.  JAMA Psychiatry. 2016;73(3):292-297.

2 Linscott RJ, Van Os J. An updated and conservative systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiological evidence on psychotic experiences in children and adults: on the pathway from proneness to persistence to dimensional expression across mental disorders.  Psychol Med. 2013;43:1133–1149.

The teenage years are a period where exploring and risk-taking are at the peak of one’s

adolescence. During this time, some risk behaviors involving the use of marijuana can have

adverse effects on a teen’s well-being and health when use begins in adolescence, especially

with regular or heavy use. In 2019, 4 in 10 high school students reported using marijuana in

their lifetime. Compared to teens who do not use marijuana, teens who use marijuana are

more likely to quit high school or not get a college degree. The teen brain is actively developing

and continues to develop until around age 25. Approximately 3 in 10 people who use marijuana

have marijuana use disorder. The risk of developing marijuana use disorder is stronger in

people who start using marijuana during youth or adolescence and who use marijuana more

frequently.

1. Jones CM, Clayton HB, Deputy NP, Roehler DR, Ko JY, Esser MB, Brookmeyer KA, Hertz MF. Prescription Opioid Misuse and Use of Alcohol and Other Substances Among High School Students – Youth Risk Behavior Survey, United States, 2019. MMWR Suppl. 2020 Aug 21;69(1):38-46.

2. National Academies of Sciences Engineering and Medicine, “The health effects of cannabis and cannabinoids: Current state of evidence and recommendations for research,” Washington, DC, 2017.

3. Batalla A, Bhattacharyya S, Yücel M, Fusar-Poli P, Crippa JA, Nogué S, Torrens M, Pujol J, Farré M, Martin-Santos R. Structural and functional imaging studies in chronic cannabis users: a systematic review of adolescent and adult findings. PLoS One. 2013;8(2):e55821.

4. Winters KC, Lee C-YS. Likelihood of developing an alcohol and cannabis use disorder during youth: Association with recent use and age. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2008;92(1-3):239-247.

Some people who use marijuana will develop marijuana use disorder.

Those who already have marijuana use disorder may need to use more and more marijuana or

greater concentrations of marijuana over time to experience a high. One study estimated that

approximately 3 in 10 people who use marijuana have marijuana use disorder. In a study of

products available in online dispensaries in 3 states with legal non-medical adult marijuana use,

the average THC concentration was 22%, with a range of 0% to 45%. Another study showed that

the estimated people who use cannabis have about a 10% likelihood of becoming addicted. As

previously stated, the risk of developing marijuana use disorder is greater in people who start

using marijuana during adolescence and use marijuana more frequently.

1. Winters KC, Lee C-YS. Likelihood of developing an alcohol and cannabis use disorder during youth: association with recent use and age.  Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 2008;92(1-3):239-247.

2. Chandra S, Radwan MM, Majumdar CG, Church JC, Freeman TP, ElSohly MA. New trends in cannabis potency in USA and Europe during the last decade (2008-2017).  European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience. 2019;269(1):5-15.

3. Cash MC, Cunnane K, Fan C, Romero-Sandoval EA. Mapping cannabis potency in medical and recreational programs in the United States.  PloS One. 2020;15(3):e0230167.