The Skinny: Even though attitudes toward cannabis use are shifting (including among teens, for whom it is illegal to use cannabis recreationally), using cannabis during adolescence can permanently impair attention, memory and learning skills, potentially leading to problems at school.
Read more about how cannabis affects cognitive abilities necessary for school and how you can talk to friends whose cannabis use you may be concerned about.
Teen Cannabis Use Today
Attitudes toward cannabis are shifting, not just for adults of legal age who can use it for recreational purposes, depending on what state they live in, but also for the youth for whom it is still illegal, no matter where they live in the country.
According to a 2021 Survey by SAMHSA, of the 52.5 million individuals aged 12 or older who reported using cannabis in 2021, youth aged 12 to 17 accounted for 10.5%. In a 2022 report from Monitoring the Future, it was reported that 30.7% of U.S. high school 12th graders reported using cannabis in the past year, and 6.3% reported using cannabis daily in the past 30 days.
Some of this shift in attitude is attributed to the fact that many teens don’t understand the effects of cannabis use, especially when it comes to brain development. The fact is teen cannabis use impacts brain development, leading to adverse effects on cognitive skills necessary for performing well in school.
How Does Cannabis Use Affect the Teenage Brain?
Cannabis use can have adverse long-term effects on people under age 25, whose brains are still developing. Research funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse suggests that using cannabis during this time can permanently impair attention, memory and learning skills.
Additionally, according to a recent study published in the journal Addictive Behaviors, “youth who had used cannabis showed lower scores on an episodic memory task, and more cannabis use was linked to poorer performances on verbal, inhibitory, working memory, and episodic memory tasks.”
These are areas that help determine school performance and are all necessary for processing and retaining information, and success.
How Do I Talk to Friends About Cannabis Use?
If you notice concerning behaviors regarding a friend’s cannabis use, it may be time to have a conversation with them. Examples include your friend being unable to go without cannabis for extended periods, or cannabis use impacting their ability to perform well in school.
What’s important with these types of conversations is that it doesn’t come from a place of trying to accuse or even save your friend; it’s about letting them know you’re there for them and that your concern is coming from a place of wanting them to be their best.
Oftentimes, when somebody uses cannabis regularly, they may not recognize it as an issue since there’s a common misconception that cannabis isn’t addictive, or they may not think that anybody else notices. Letting your friend know that you’ve noticed is an important step for this type of conversation. Give specific, recent examples of times you’ve noticed their cannabis use get in the way. Let them know how it has impacted you if that has been the case.
You may not be able to stop them from using cannabis again, but you can at least help them realize that other people notice what they’re doing. More importantly, you can let them know you’re there for them whatever they decide to do moving forward.
From there, your friend may be open to seeking help. You can refer them to our guide to quitting cannabis, or encourage them to reach out to us with any questions they have regarding support. Our PreventEd counselors are here to assist.
