Study of 11,000 US Teens Links Cannabis Use to Slower Brain Development
ScienceAlert • • general
Key Points:
- A long-term study of over 11,000 children and teens found that recreational cannabis use is linked to slightly slower development in memory, attention, and thinking skills, particularly after cannabis use begins.
- The research, based on the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study, combined self-reports with biological tests to reliably track cannabis use and cognitive development from ages 9-10 to 16-17.
- Teens exposed to THC showed more pronounced memory problems compared to non-users or those using only CBD, suggesting THC as a likely factor in cognitive changes.
- Although the differences in cognitive development were small, they could have meaningful impacts on learning, academic performance, and everyday functioning in competitive environments.
- The findings support public health advice that delaying cannabis use during adolescence is important for healthy brain development, especially as cannabis legalization and THC potency increase.
