Regular Marijuana Use May Negatively Impact Teen Brains by Lowering IQ

Does your teen use marijuana? Then you'd better take notice. Scientists have found that frequent marijuana use can have a significant and negative effect on the brains of teenagers and young adults. In fact, it can lead to cognitive decline, poor attention and memory, and decreased IQ.

"It needs to be emphasized that regular cannabis use, which we consider once a week, is not safe and may result in addiction and neurocognitive damage, especially in youth," said Krista Lisdahl, one of the researchers, in a news release. "When considering legalization, policymakers need to address ways to prevent easy access to marijuana and provide additional treatment funding for adolescent and young adult users."

In this case, the researchers used a series of other study in these latest findings. A 2012 longitudinal study of 1,037 people revealed that people who have become addicted to marijuana can lose an average of six IQ points by adulthood. In addition, other studies have revealed that THC, the major psychoactive chemical in marijuana, may be responsible for most of these negative impacts. Yet this means that there may be a way to lower the amount of THC found in marijuana to make it safer for medical use.

"Recent studies suggest that this relationship between marijuana and mental illness may be moderated by how often marijuana is used and potency of the substance," said Alan Budney, one of the researchers. "Unfortunately, much of what we know from earlier research is based on smoking marijuana with much lower doses of THC than are commonly used today."

The findings reveal that when considering legalization, it's crucial to understand the full impacts of this substance. Being able to limit marijuana and make sure that it doesn't fall into the hands of those who are younger will be an important step when it comes to its acceptance.

These findings were presented at the American Psychological Association's 122^nd Annual Convention.