Practical Parenting: Teens and Cannabis: What Parents Need to Know

As cannabis becomes legal and culturally normalized for adults, many teens assume it’s safe for them, too. In this Practical Parenting episode, we unpack how marijuana affects the developing brain and body, why early use raises addiction risk, and how to talk to adolescents about real-world harms and safer choices. 

Marijuana can be addicting. About one in 10 people who use marijuana will become addicted, and for adolescents who start before the age of 18, the risk rises to one in six. The longer young adults wait before they try alcohol, marijuana or other substances, the better it is for them in the long run. 

Early use carries unique cognitive risks. Marijuana can cause a permanent IQ loss of as much as eight points when started at a young age, and those IQ points do not come back, even after marijuana use has ceased. Studies also link marijuana use to depression, anxiety, sometimes suicidal ideation and psychotic episodes. 

Physically, timing, movement, and coordination can be impacted, which can decrease athletic performance, something many young adults care deeply about. 

We also discuss different forms and the unique risks they carry.

• Vapes: Street products can be tainted with fentanyl or other drugs. Vaping also exposes lungs to far more chemicals and can cause irreversible lung damage.
• Edibles: Effects are delayed, which means a bad trip can be four hours of pure anxiety and discomfort. 

It is important to talk with teens about these side effects. Taking an ongoing, curious approach, including asking what they know and connecting facts to their goals (like sports) is a great start. It’s just a fact that the prefrontal cortex is developing until 25, sometimes even into the early thirties. Any kind of substance can interrupt this brain development. 

These are important conversations that have the opportunity to be uncomfortable, but the effort is worth it. Sharing clear facts and talking openly and honestly about these topics can not only educate kids, it can also deepen your relationship with your teen.

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