Netizens Divided After Study Reveals Habit Practiced By 18 Million Americans Can Cause Permanent Brain Damage
Bored Panda • • health
Key Points:
- A large long-term study by the University of California San Diego tracked 11,036 US teens from ages 9-10 to 16-17, finding that early cannabis use is linked to slower gains in memory, attention, and thinking skills compared to non-users.
- The study identified THC, the psychoactive component of cannabis, as the likely cause of these cognitive delays, particularly affecting episodic memory, while CBD exposure alone did not show the same effects.
- Despite modest differences observed, researchers emphasized that adolescence is a critical period for brain development, and even slight cognitive delays can impact learning and everyday functioning over time.
- The study suggests delaying cannabis use during adolescence and calls for neuroscience-informed education to mitigate potential negative effects on brain development amid increasing cannabis legalization.
- Researchers plan to continue monitoring the cohort into young adulthood to better understand the long-term impact of THC exposure and the timing of cannabis initiation on brain development.
