With the legalization of cannabis in many areas, people all over the world are turning to cannabis as a way to relieve symptoms of pain, nausea, and anxiety. However, cannabis is not medicinal for kids.
According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 30.7% of 12th graders in 2022, had used marijuana in the past year. 6.3% had used marijuana in the past 30 days. This is concerning, because studies show that when a child starts using marijuana as an adolescent, there can be permanent adverse effects to the brain.
A 2019 review of 11 studies with over 23,000 people showed that when kids used cannabis, they had increased depression, suicidal thoughts, and suicide attempts. On top of that, there were significant signs of a decline in brain function.
Why do our kids turn to cannabis?
Ironically, many teens and young adults turn to cannabis to help them relax and relieve symptoms of anxiety. However, studies show that they have more anxiety, not less, when they use this substance.
Teens may turn to cannabis use to relieve social anxiety, but again, use of the substance appears to increase social anxiety.
Peer pressure and peer acceptance is another reason a teen might turn to cannabis.
Not only does cannabis use appear to increase anxiety and social anxiety, there’s a high chance of addiction to the substance.
If an adolescent or teen is experiencing health problems, they may have heard stories from friends or on social media, that marijuana can reduce symptoms.
The key components of cannabis
CBD (cannabidiol)- The non-psychoactive compound of cannabis, but still not good for kids because it has trace amounts of THC.
THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) – The psychoactive compound of cannabis, which some teens smoke in its concentrated form.
Common forms of cannabis used by teens
We all know that smoking marijuana is a common form of cannabis use, but here are a few others you may not know about.
- Vaping (smoking liquid or wax compounds in an electronic cigarette)
- Edibles like gummies, baked goods and candies containing marijuana
- Drinking beverages containing marijuana products
- Using oils or tinctures with marijuana products applied to the skin
Misconceptions about medicinal use
Many people believe that because cannabis is a plant, it is not that detrimental to your health. In fact, they believe it benefits your health. Some people use marijuana for pain relief, PTSD symptoms, epilepsy, and Crohn’s disease, to name a few.
But, the potential side effects of using the substance far outweigh the benefits, especially in kids. Side effects include:
- Addiction
- Panic attacks
- Dizziness
- Psychosis
- Poor memory
- Slow reaction times
- Increased heart rate
- Increased risk of heart attack or stroke
- Increased depression
- Increased anxiety
The impact cannabis has on developing brains
Using cannabis before the age of 18 has detrimental impacts on a child’s brain. Cannabis use can cause learning difficulties, like poor attention and memory. Cannabis use also affects the communication areas of the brain, causing problems in normal function.
Using cannabis can disrupt the normal development of brain areas used for emotional control. This can lead to anxiety, mood swings and difficulty managing stress.
Adolescents and teens do not have the emotional maturity to regulate their usage of addictive substances. The prefrontal cortex of their brain is still developing, and they have insufficient control over impulses and decision-making, which can make them susceptible to addiction.
Perhaps most concerning is that cannabis usage in adolescents can result in a loss of IQ points that can never be recovered, even if the person stops usage in adulthood.
Lack of regulation and quality control
There may be quality control standards of cannabis in states that have legalized the usage, however, there is no regulation on the federal level. This causes a problem with ensuring products are of the highest quality.
Due to the lack of regulation, the potency of marijuana has risen, while the price has decreased. Therefore, teens have more access to even more dangerous levels of the psychoactive THC in cannabis. Other substances can contaminate the cannabis as well, such as microbes, heavy metals and pesticides.
Since the legalization of marijuana in many states, there have been ever-increasing reports of pediatric and youth emergency department visits for psychosis and other mental effects. The fact is, there aren’t enough studies on the long-term effects of cannabis usage in children to claim it as safe.
Parental responsibility and awareness
As parents, it is our responsibility to educate ourselves on the effects of cannabis, and to be aware of the dangers before we ever allow our children to use it for medicinal or recreational use. You may have heard success stories from friends or on social media about how cannabis helped a child with pain, to relieve epilepsy symptoms, or to relieve anxiety for example, but the side effects may far outweigh the benefits.
Before your child turns to cannabis for medicinal purposes, consider other alternative health practices, such as mindfulness, meditation, rehabilitation exercises, exercises, hobbies and breathing exercises.
If you have a concern about your child’s use of cannabis, schedule a no-cost discovery call with Rae Guyer, your therapeutic consultant to discuss options.
Read more about the detrimental effects of cannabis use in this article.
© Therapeutic Educational Consulting
Photo credit, Ayehab, Getty Images
