Teen marijuana use lowers grades and raises addiction risk in one-in-six users
Ward S, Konda S, Zhao DZ, Ganti L
Cannabis Research
Cannabis is one of the most chemically complex cultivated plants humans grow, but rising THC concentrations in commercial varieties, bred far beyond what wild Cannabis sativa ever expressed, are now producing measurable harm in the youngest users.
Researchers pulled data from a large U.S. health survey to map how many teenagers use marijuana and what it does to their school lives. They found roughly one in ten adolescents uses cannabis, and the more they use it, the more class they skip and the worse their grades get. Teens are more vulnerable to addiction than adults: one in six who try it end up dependent, a rate that's higher than for any other age group.
Key Findings
Pooled cannabis use prevalence among adolescents aged 12-17 is 11.4% (95% CI: 10.70-12.20%)
1 in 6 adolescents who try marijuana develop a use disorder, compared to 1 in 10 across all ages
Higher cannabis use correlated with increased school absences and lower academic grades; use was slightly more prevalent among females and white, Hispanic, and Black adolescents
chevron_right Technical Summary
A national survey analysis found that 11.4% of U.S. adolescents aged 12-17 use cannabis, with higher use tied to more school absences and lower grades. Adolescents are disproportionately vulnerable to addiction: 1 in 6 teens who try marijuana develop a use disorder, compared to 1 in 10 across all age groups.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
The perils of marijuana use in adolescents.
Marijuana usage is on the rise. It is becoming more dangerous because of the significantly greater amounts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and more accessible because of legalization. This paper aims...
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