Study Shows Marijuana May Interfere with Adolescent Brain Development

Marijuana

A study published this month suggests marijuana use during adolescence may interfere with brain development.

Nationwide, many states have legalized marijuana to varying degrees, and the Trump Administration has moved to ease federal restrictions on the drug. But while policymakers push for more marijuana, scientific evidence continues to show that’s a bad idea.

In a study published by the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, researchers from Bradley Hospital in Rhode Island found marijuana use during adolescence is linked to differences in brain regions related to motivation and reward. Experts say the brain is more sensitive to the effects of marijuana during teenage development, which raises serious concerns about the long term effects of using marijuana during adolescence.

We have written before how high-potency marijuana is linked to psychotic disorders and may be especially harmful to children and teens.

Modern marijuana can contain 15% to 30% THC — sometimes even 60% THC — compared to just 3% THC in marijuana from the 1960s. The higher the potency, the greater the risk there is to users.

A recent study from Columbia University found even “casual” marijuana use is linked to higher rates of depression, anxiety, and impulsive behavior in teenagers.

Addiction experts note that marijuana can trigger mental health problems like depression, anxiety, and psychosis.

Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital found teen psychiatric emergencies spiked after marijuana commercialization began in the state.

All of this underscores what we have said for years: 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.

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Biological Male Wins Girls Shot Put Championship in West Virginia

Transgender, ,

A biological male recently won first place in the girls shot put at a West Virginia state track and field championship — beating the second-place finisher by more than two feet.

This same athlete — who has taken first place in past years — is at the center of a U.S. Supreme Court case that will determine whether states can protect fairness in women’s sports. The Court is expected to rule in the case this month.

We have written repeatedly about how women’s athletics is at risk of being erased in America.

Letting men compete in women’s sports is unfair and reverses 50 years of advancements for women.

Female cyclists, swimmers, powerlifters, sprinters, volleyball players, and others have seen their sports radically changed by men who claim to be women.

In some cases, letting biological males compete against women and girls can even be dangerous.

Stories like this one are part of the reason Arkansas passed Act 461 by Sen. Missy Irvin (R — Mountain View) and Rep. Sonia Barker (R — Smackover) in 2021 to protects fairness in women’s sports in Arkansas. The law prevents male student athletes from competing against girls in women’s athletics at school.

Right now the U.S. Supreme Court is considering a federal lawsuit from West Virginia that could affect state laws like Arkansas’ Act 461.

Family Council joined dozens of state policy organizations and more than 200 state legislators in a legal brief in that case last September.

Most Americans believe that athletes should compete according to their biological sex — not their gender identity. We are optimistic the U.S. Supreme Court will agree and uphold fairness in women’s sports.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Children, Teens Getting Hooked on Gambling

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Researchers and news outlets are sounding the alarm over concerns about kids getting hooked on sports betting.

Today sports betting is legal through most of the the U.S., and more than half of men ages 18 – 49 report having an active sportsbook account online. Arkansans wagered a record $86.5 million in March alone this year.

But evidence shows teens and young adults may be getting hooked on sports betting and other types of gambling through advertisements and social media posts that appeal to children.

A report from Common Sense Media earlier this year found 36% of boys ages 11 to 17 reported gambling in the past year. Of those boys, 59% said social media content about gambling just started appearing in their social media feeds.

Jim Steyer, CEO, Founder, and Board Co-Chair of Common Sense Media, said, “The reality is that we’re at an inflection point. We can either let gambling become normalized during boys’ most vulnerable developmental years, or we can act now—with education, safeguards, and real accountability.”

“Prediction markets” that operate outside the scope of state regulation are also concerning. News outlets report they are using memes and social media content that appeals to teens.

Researchers have repeatedly voiced concerns about sports advertisements that aggressively target young adults.

We have written repeatedly about how mobile sports betting apps use addictive technology to hook people — especially young adults.

People who gamble on sports may be twice as likely to suffer from gambling problems. When sports betting happens online or on a smartphone, the rate is even higher.

Twenty-year-old males account for approximately 40% of calls to gambling addiction hotlines, and upwards of 20 million men are in debt or have been in debt as a result of sports betting. In 2024, the Arkansas Problem Gambling Council announced a 22% increase in calls for help with problem gambling — driven largely by sports betting.

On the whole, most Americans do not believe sports betting has been good for society or good for sports.

Arkansas families need to understand that sports betting isn’t harmless entertainment — it’s predatory, and it’s growing.

As powerful corporations try to make gambling part of everyday life, it’s important for Arkansas to protect its citizens and families from predatory gambling. Otherwise, gambling addiction will simply continue wrecking lives and hurting families in our state.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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