Julia Czudak

Studies aimed at finding whether or not marijuana is safe to use are often controversial because of the conflicting interests within the research team and the conclusions based on generalizations or false dichotomy. This leads to many inconsistent results among scientists who research cannabis, and a further divide between the public who engages in the debate over decriminalizing marijuana as a recreational means. Still, there is a clear middle ground despite the disagreements between both sides of the deliberation.

Many of the scientists who believed consuming cannabis leads to health risk, as well as those who opposed this view and either debunked those studies or proved it wrong with their own experiments, all can agree that minors should not consume cannabis habitually or recreationally. This is because the adolescent brain is still developing and is much more malleable than the average adult’s (Becker, Benjamin, et al.).

Frequently consuming cannabis as a minor results in many risks as studies have shown the neurological, irreversible effects it can have. Altered function in the left superior parietal cortex during memory processing suggests that those who smoked marijuana from a young age- before 20- are at risk of developing issues with memory and cognitive skills in the long run (Jager, Gerry, et al.). Attention and decision making is also jeopardized by frequent smoking, as participants who were cannabis users between the ages of 14 and 17 performed at a significantly worse rate in the experiment versus those who did not smoke (Dougherty , D M., et al.). There are not enough studies done to monitor the minors who consume cannabis frequently into their future, but there is enough evidence of neurological alteration. These alterations have significant effects on the dynamics and overall function of the brain; these types of alterations will only continue to become worse as the adolescent continues to use cannabis. Ultimately, chronic use of marijuana is likely to affect learning and memory skills due to the changes in brain structure and decreased neuronal efficiency.

Although studies linking marijuana use and psychological effects are controversial because of the many outside factors that are often ignored when analyzing results, the fact that many studies suggest smoking marijuana frequently  at a young age can cause an array of psychological issues should not be ignored. It is often concluded that depression as well as suicidal thoughts are a very possible risk in the adult life of a minor who uses cannabis. In a longitudinal study, scientists found that adolescent, chronic users of marijuana developed depression after reaching their twenties. A staggering 95% of the subjects were either dissatisfied with their life, thought of suicide often, attempted suicide, or experienced all 3 side effects (Pedersen,W.). So although it would be irresponsible to say that chronic marijuana use is the cause of depression (since there are outside factors that should be taken into account) , it can definitely be associated with depression and suicidal thoughts.

This information is very concerning considering marijuana is the most widely used drugs in the United States. Adolescents are also less likely to believe that cannabis is dangerous and that can be partially due to former, ineffective drug-use prevention programs (Newton, Nicola C., et al.). The arguments used against marijuana use in most of the school-based drug prevention programs are outdated. Most often counselors will claim that cannabis is a gateway drug. Not only is this claim a generalization, but it is ineffective because after hearing this, minors often overestimate their willpower and believe that they know their own limitations and abilities.

Not every school takes the same measures during health classes or drug-prevention seminar, but there must be a fault in current systems considering the amount of minors consuming marijuana is on the rise. Some schools spend more time on alcohol or tobacco prevention than on the risks of cannabis consumption, while others use ineffective abstinence methods. Most abstinence programs prove to be ineffective (Newton, Nicola C., et al.); this is due to the condescending nature of the programs as well as the rebellious behavior it ensues. Expecting minors (who are told they are forbidden to smoke without much scientific evidence in support of the restriction) to simply obey the rules imposed on them is not, and had not been a realistic expectation.

The more effective way to approach the situation is to present the validated risks of smoking cannabis with research as the core reasoning. Showing the students statistics from the experiment of the monitored subjects and how they developed depression in their twenties will help the children understand that their current decisions hold long term effects. This has been an effective method for tobacco and cigarette use prevention (Newton, Nicola C., et al.) and, if this manner of educating is replicated, then the same success should be expected for marijuana use. Speaking to students about the way marijuana can affect cognitive ability and memory skills in the long run will prove to be as viable as teaching students about the about negative effect cigarettes have on lungs.

As the rate of minors who smoke marijuana is on the rise, the responsibility of drug-prevention programs escalate. The long term effects cannabis has on the brains of adolescents is too extreme to ignore, so measures of drug prevention are at a demand. While leading discussions about the risks and outcomes of consuming marijuana is a good place to start in terms of giving students an understanding of their decision to smoke, providing statistical and scientific evidence of side effects will leave a greater impact on the children without any condescending implications.

Works Cited:

1. Becker, Benjamin, et al. “The Impact of Early-Onset Cannabis Use on Functional Brain Correlates of Working Memory.” Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry, vol. 34, no. 6, 2010, pp. 837–845.
2. Jager, Gerry, et al. “Long-Term Effects of Frequent Cannabis Use on Working Memory and Attention: an FMRI Study.” Psychopharmacology, vol. 185, no. 3, July 2006, pp. 358–368.
3. Dougherty , D M., et al. Impulsivity, Attention, Memory, and Decision-Making among … Psychopharmacology, vol. 226, no.2, March 2013.
4. Pedersen, W. “Does Cannabis Use Lead to Depression and Suicidal Behaviours? A Population-Based Longitudinal Study.” Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, vol. 118, no. 5, 2008, pp. 395–403.
5. Newton, Nicola C., et al. “School-Based Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention.” Drug Abuse and Addiction in Medical Illness, 2012, pp. 545–560.

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