A major study from Columbia University confirms what many parents have long suspected: There is no such thing as “harmless” marijuana use for teenagers.
The study, published in Pediatrics last month, analyzed data from over 160,000 American students. Researchers found teens who used marijuana just once or twice a month showed higher rates of depression, anxiety, and impulsive behavior compared to teens who didn’t use the drug at all.
Students who used marijuana nearly every day were almost four times more likely to have poor grades and more likely to be frequently disengaged from school activities. The younger the student, the stronger these negative effects became.
The study comes at a time when an estimated one in five high school students use marijuana, and approximately 6% of 12th graders use it daily.
Today’s marijuana is not the same drug from decades past. Modern cannabis products are far more potent and dangerous. High-potency marijuana can trigger serious mental health problems. This is especially concerning for teenagers, whose brains are still developing.
Marijuana has been found time and time again to pose serious health hazards like deadly heart disease and cancer to stroke, mental illness, and birth defects.
Researchers now say marijuana doubles a person’s risk of death from heart disease.
And instead of decreasing crime, marijuana legalization has actually emboldened drug cartels and increased the flow of illegal drugs across America.
Arkansans should also pay attention. As other states move to legalize marijuana, we’re learning more about the serious dangers it poses—especially for children.
The evidence is clear: Marijuana may be many things, but “harmless” simply is not one of them.
Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.
