- What are the negative effects of cannabis use in adolescence?
- Is there a level of cannabis consumption that is considered safe?
- At what point is cannabis use considered to be risky?
- Why has cannabis use become so widespread among young people?
- Does consuming alcohol lead to consuming more cannabis?
- Are there protective and preventative factors against cannabis use that depend on the family?
- If we suspect our son or daughter is smoking marijuana, how can we address the issue at home and what advice can we give them?
- What signs might indicate that our son or daughter has a problem with cannabis?
- Where can I get urine tests to find out if there has been cannabis use?
- Cannabis can be found in different products; are these safer than smoking?
- What can we do to prevent cannabis use in schools?
- What are the risks of cannabis use for mental health, both for occasional and continuous use?
- What is the relationship between smoking marijuana and the onset of psychosis?
- Are there any brief interventions we can do with 15-year-old adolescents transitioning from pediatrics to primary care medicine, to detect substance use and provide an initial approach?
- What materials and techniques can I use to address this topic as a primary care professional?
- How do you explain to a teenager with ADHD that they may be more prone to substance abuse than other people without ADHD?
- Is an ADHD diagnosis associated with early onset of substance use?
What are the negative effects of cannabis use in adolescence?
Regular cannabis use produces a wide range of physical and psychological effects, some even at low doses. These effects vary from person to person, depending on age, dosage, expectations, and whether it is consumed alone or with others. Initially, users experience a feeling of euphoria, followed by a depressive phase.
The main effects of cannabis use are:
- Deterioration of cognitive ability: confusion, difficulty memorizing simple tasks, expressing oneself clearly, solving problems, etc.
- Altered attention: increased reaction time.
- Alteration of the sense of time: everything happens more slowly.
- Distortion of the senses: alteration of colors, sounds, distances, etc.
- Alteration of heart rhythm and blood pressure.
- Risky sexual practices.
In Spain, cannabis is primarily consumed by smoking it mixed with tobacco in the form of a cigarette. Smoking it without a filter, inhaling the smoke deeply, holding it in the lungs, and swallowing it all, increases the risk of developing illnesses such as chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and lung cancer. Furthermore, its bronchodilator effect enhances the absorption of toxic substances.
Some people, generally, after consuming high doses, experience symptoms such as anxiety attacks, panic and paranoid states, or hallucinations .
Since it impairs attention and coordination, it increases the likelihood of traffic or workplace accidents . Furthermore, cannabis use is an illegal substance, therefore, it entails other legal problems such as penalties for drug use or possession in public, access to other drugs, etc.
Similarly, the risk increases with the earlier the age of initiation, being four times greater if it begins early. In Spain, the average age of initiation is 14.8 years for boys and 14.9 for girls, according to the latest ESTUDES 2022 survey. Drugs always carry a significant health risk, and cannabis is no exception.