Introduction to the Brain
New research is giving us better insight into the serious consequences of teen marijuana use, especially how it may impact mental health. This section explores how marijuana negatively affects a healthy teenage brain. Here are some facts:
- Weekly or more frequent use of marijuana doubles a teen’s risk of depression and anxiety.1
- Teens aged 12-17 who smoke marijuana weekly are three times more likely than non-users to have suicidal thoughts.2
- There is evidence of increased risk for schizophrenia in later years in some teens who smoke marijuana.3
There is substantial evidence linking marijuana to causal symptoms of depression, suicidal thoughts and schizophrenia. A teen brain is different than an adult brain in many ways. Ever wonder why high schoolers love things and love them so intensely? The limbic system, the area that controls memory and emotions, is highly developed, whereas the prefrontal cortex, the area responsible for judgment, is still developing, well into a person’s 20’s. This may be why teens tend to make decisions based on their emotions rather than reason.
Certain brain centers, such as the limbic system, are highly influenced by THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the active ingredient in marijuana. That’s right...the same centers responsible for memory formation, emotion, aggression and fear are significantly affected by pot.
This is where YOU come in. The first step in being able to discuss the dangers of marijuana with your teen is knowing the facts. To better understand how pot affects the different brain centers, take TheAntiDrug.com’s virtual tour of the teen brain.
