Marijuana
Health Effects on Adolescents
Nebraska State Attorney General’s Office
Is Marijuana Harmful? As marijuana use becomes more widespread and its potency increases, we need to ask the question:
IS MARIJUANA HARMFUL? Marijuana use affects every aspect of a user’s life. Negative consequences for adolescents are even worse than those on the general population, as marijuana affects teens’ Mental Health Physical Wellbeing Academic Performance
Marijuana and Mental Illness
Marijuana use is linked to increased depression
Studies have found a correlation between marijuana use and an increased risk of developing mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and other forms of psychosis
Teenagers who use marijuana daily are seven times more likely to attempt suicide
Marijuana and the Brain Hippocampal Surface Shape Row A: cannabis-related shape in control subjects Row B: schizophrenia-related shape Row C: cannabis-related shape in schizophrenia subjects T-values with cooler colors (t<0) indicate inward shape differences and warmer colors (t>0) indicate outward shape differences.
Image Credits: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cannabis-Related Episodic Memory Deficits and Hippocampal Morphological Differences in Health Individuals and Schizophrenia Subjectsâ&#x20AC;? Smith, Matthew J., et. al. Northwestern University.
Side Effects of Marijuana A 2015 study published by the American Medical Association linked use of cannabinoids to the following side effects:
Hallucinations
Nausea
Vomiting
Fatigue
Disorientation
Dizziness
Euphoria
Drowsiness
Teen Marijuana Use: A Growing Problem Despite the negative physical and mental side effects of marijuana, its popularity among the teenage population continues to grow. In 2012, an average of 3.2 million adolescents used marijuana on any
given day
The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that high school
students are more likely to use marijuana than any other illegal drug
In 2011, marijuana use was responsible for more emergency room
visits by young adults than any other type of drug abuse
Marijuana Use Among High School Students Marijuana Inhalants Cocaine 8th Graders
Hallucinogens
10th Graders Methamphetamine
12th Graders
Heroin
0
10 20 30 40 50 Percent of students who had used the drug, 2015 (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
Marijuana Use in Marijuana States
States with legalized medical marijuana and recreational marijuana do have an increase in the number of 12-17 yearolds who used marijuana in the past month.
At Risk For Addiction ď&#x192;Ź 17% of those who use
marijuana as adolescents will become addicted, and 2550% of daily users become addicted ď&#x192;Ź A Hazelden Foundation
survey indicates that the majority of young people believe that marijuana is not addictive
Children whose parents use marijuana
are 52% more likely to use marijuana than those whose parents do not
Adolescents are nearly twice as likely to
become addicted to marijuana as older users
Young adults who use marijuana are
Adult Addiction and Adolescent Addiction
also eight times more likely to use other illicit drugs
Marijuana and Academics After legalizing marijuana, Colorado experienced a 40% increase
in drug-related suspensions and expulsions Colorado Department of Education officials reported that most
drug-related suspensions/expulsions reported since the 2008/2009 academic year have been related to marijuana Adolescents who use marijuana daily are more than 60% less
likely to complete high school or obtain a university degree than those who do not
Marijuana and Academics Marijuana use among college students was linked by the
University of Maryland’s School of Public Health to the following negative academic consequences: More absences in class Decreased time studying Lower grades Increased risk of dropping out of college Increased risk of unemployment after graduation
Marijuana and Academic Potential Exposure to cannabinoids among adolescents causes long-term
behavioral changes
MRI scans indicate brain anatomy alterations in young adult
marijuana users
Regular heavy use by adolescents is linked to IQ loss which persists
far into adulthood, even if marijuana is no longer being used
Marijuana: Harms to Non-Users Availability of marijuana increases the danger of accidental ingestion, especially with children.
Colorado, January 1 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; April 30, 2014
The American College of Pediatricians found that, by 2011, poison centers in states which decriminalized marijuana prior to 2005 had experienced a tripling in calls related to accidental pediatric marijuana ingestion.
Marijuana: Harms to Non-Users Marijuana ingestion can cause mental and physical impairment,
increasing the risk of motor vehicle accidents leading to injury or death Colorado marijuana-related traffic deaths increased 92% from
2010-2014. Overall traffic deaths increased only 8%. A survey cited by the Hazelden foundation reported that 30% of
young adults indicated that they had driven under the influence of marijuana.
Marijuana Potency Trends, 1988-2012 Average THC Concentration in Confiscated Samples (University of Mississippi Potency Monitoring Program) Average Î&#x201D;9-THC Concentration in Marijuana and Sinsemilla 14 12
Percent
10 8 6 4 2 0 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Year
Marijuana Potency Increasing Marijuana in the 1960s contained an average of 1-2% Δ9-THC.
Currently, Δ9-THC levels in marijuana hover around 15%.
Some marijuana extractions can contain 80-95% concentrations
of Δ9-THC.
High-potency marijuana carries a correspondingly increased risk
of developing severe adverse side effects.
Marijuana Potency Increasing Marijuana proponents support this increase in potency. Denver even hosts a “Cannabis Cup” where different strains of marijuana compete to be named the most potent variety.
“Our annual review of the world’s most potent cannabis strains—as tested by our partner labs around the globe—has taken another big step forward, raising the bar this year to include only strains that have tested over 23 percent THC! This represents a significant increase from years past, when the threshold was a mere 20 percent” ~High Times, “Earth’s Strongest Strains 2014”
Marijuana-infused edibles popular among
adolescents such as cookies, candy, and beverages often contain several doses’ worth of marijuana in a single package
Permissive testing and labeling standards
Potency Dangers with Marijuana Edibles
for edibles often result in THC concentrations which vary from the labeled amounts
Other Dangers Shatter Shatter is a cannabis product which contains around 90% THC. Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Dennis Wichern warns that the shatter production process is very dangerous, often causing fires and explosions.
In 2014, 30 house explosions in Colorado were caused by the production of shatter.
Lacing Sometimes marijuana is laced with even more dangerous drugs, including cocaine and PCP. Due to loose regulations, it is easy to mix marijuana with other illicit drugs, or it has been found to be contaminated with heavy metals or bacteria.
Marijuana has been shown to cause
many negative side effects, especially in younger users In order to see whether possible
benefits outweigh demonstrated harms, the best response is to wait, allowing time for more thorough investigation and scientific analysis The government’s role is to protect its
citizens from those harms until superior benefits are clearly established
Marijuana: A Prudent Response