The dangers of smoking marijuana during adolescence
An urban legend circulates that cannabis is harmless and even less harmful than tobacco. In fact, there has been a debate in recent years about the legalization of marijuana in Spain.
In Catalonia, the current average age for starting to smoke marijuana is around 16 years old. Furthermore, 20% of the population between 15 and 24 years old has smoked marijuana in the last year.
These data are worrying because smoking marijuana or hashish during adolescence significantly affects the brain , causing biochemical changes and alterations that can become irreversible and cause a total breakdown in a person's life.
The reason cannabis has a greater impact on adolescents than on adults is that the brain, at this stage, exhibits enormous plasticity. The drug affects the brain circuits of a developing brain that is not prepared to receive the overstimulation of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), a chemical compound contained in cannabis.
The result is clear and consistent across hundreds of studies: consuming cannabis during adolescence increases the risk of developing schizophrenia.
Furthermore, cognitive impairment appears, which can even affect a person's intelligence quotient (IQ). In this regard, one of the most relevant studies on the subject tracked the effects of cannabis from adolescence to adulthood in a very large population sample and observed a loss of up to eight IQ points. (Meier, et al. 2012).
Dr. David Bueno Torrens
A study published in 2020 revealed that a small amount of cannabis, one or two joints, is enough to cause alterations in the brain (Lorenzetti, et al., 2020). The study's lead authors found that the brains of children who had used marijuana once or twice in their lives had a greater volume of gray matter in areas where cannabis binds, compared to those who had never used it.
The most significant differences in gray matter were found in the amygdala (involved in fear and other emotional processes) and the hippocampus (involved in memory and learning). Cannabis acts by modifying synapses, which are the molecular machinery necessary for neuronal communication and, therefore, for proper brain function.
Tetrahydrocannabinol: Enemy Number One
The Cannabis sativa plant contains at least 144 different compounds known as cannabinoids and more than 1,100 other components. The most abundant cannabinoids are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). THC is primarily responsible for cannabis's psychoactive potential, which mainly results in addiction, psychosis, and cognitive impairment.
Sergi Papiol
The trend, both among consumers and growers, is towards plants with higher psychoactive potential and THC content. This is why the product is becoming increasingly addictive and harmful.
Fortunately, it's not all bad news. Many studies have shown that if consumption is completely and consistently eliminated, cognitive functions and emotional problems stemming from consumption can improve significantly (Lorenzetti, et al. 2020).
In this sense, it is very important to work on the motivation for change and the search for professional help as soon as possible.
Reasons to prevent cannabis use during adolescence:
1. It causes intellectual impoverishment and cognitive impairment.
2. It causes a greater risk of suffering from mental disorders such as schizophrenia, paranoia, anxiety and depression.
3. It causes addiction problems.
Marijuana is addictive and predisposes users to other drug addictions: between 10% and 30% of cannabis users develop an addictive disorder they cannot control. Furthermore, when use begins before the age of 18, the likelihood of dependence is four to seven times greater than when it begins in adulthood.
4. It causes respiratory problems associated with both marijuana and the tobacco used in joints.
What can we do if we discover that our son or daughter is smoking marijuana?
- Do not discuss the topic if you are under the influence of cannabis.
- Discuss the matter privately, in an intimate and comfortable space.
- Having time to talk calmly.
- Don't make drastic or hasty decisions, make them together.
- Talk to him or her directly, listen to his or her opinion and explain what worries us.
- Find out how much you consume (it's not the same to try it as to smoke when you go out partying or to smoke every day).
- Do not punish or accuse. He is likely to ignore the instructions and reject any further information offered.
- If he has had problems because of smoking, take the opportunity to talk about the issue and let him see the negative effects for himself.
- Avoid checking their room or interrogating their friends.
- If necessary, seek professional advice or help and negotiate possible solutions with him or her.
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