Why Teens Shouldn’t Use Cannabis

Introduction

Children, adolescents, and young adults are particularly susceptible to the negative effects of cannabis* due to their developing brains.¹ Cannabis can impact a teen’s present life by increasing their risk for dropping out of high school, and it can affect their future because of the impact cannabis has on a developing brain that can be significant and long lasting.^2,3

Preventing your child/teen from using cannabis, whether that means preventing them from ever using or delaying their start until at least the age of 21, greatly minimizes the negative and long-term impact of cannabis on the brain. To equip you, as a parent or someone in a parenting role, to have conversations with your child/teen about cannabis and the importance of not using during the teenage years, let’s explore the risks of cannabis use, consequences of cannabis use, and specific strategies you can implement to encourage your child/teen not to use cannabis.

*Cannabis is also called pot, weed, or marijuana.

Risks of Cannabis Use

The potential impacts of cannabis use among teens are varied and can be severe. By summarizing research on cannabis addiction, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds that 1 in 10 people who use cannabis will become addicted, but using cannabis before the age of 18 increases the likelihood of addiction to 1 in 6. Addiction is a serious illness that can lead to problems in all facets of life — school, work, home, and family.⁴

Cannabis use in teens is also associated with mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, and even psychosis.⁴

Teens are often excited for the independence that comes with driving, but cannabis use impacts coordination and reaction time, which can have devastating effects on the road. Motor vehicle crashes and other unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death for teens and young adults. Cannabis use increases the risk of car crashes and other injuries.^4,5

Cannabis use during adolescence can cause significant and long-lasting changes in the structure and function of the brain, especially with regular or heavy use. However, these negative impacts can be significantly reduced if cannabis use is avoided altogether or at least until the brain is fully developed in a person’s mid-20s or later.⁴

Parents and those in a parenting role may underestimate the likelihood that their child/teen could be using cannabis or perceive their child’s/teen’s use is occasional and therefore not harmful. Children/teens are at risk, and parents and those in a parenting role have the potential to reduce this risk.

Consequences of Teen Cannabis Use

Cannabis use has both short-term and long-term effects on the brain and performance.

Short-Term Consequences

Cannabis use negatively impacts cognition, that is someone’s ability to think clearly and problem solve, as well as their memory and ability to learn new information and skills. While some people believe that cannabis use increases creativity and improves focus, the negative effects are more likely and far outweigh the potential for a very brief immediate benefit. And in fact, rather than improve focus, cannabis use in teens has been shown to contribute to difficulty paying attention. Together, these impacts on thinking, learning, and attention mean that teens who use cannabis are more likely than their peers who do not use cannabis to earn lower grades and to drop out of school.³

Cannabis use also impairs coordination and reaction time. Along with reduced decision-making ability and concentration, these effects increase the likelihood for car crashes and other accidental injuries.³

Long-Term Consequences

Cannabis use during the child/teen years can damage the developing brain in ways that are long-lasting and may even be permanent. Research has linked adolescent cannabis use to problems with memory in adulthood, even among people who stopped using cannabis as adults. Other research has found a connection between adolescent cannabis use and lower IQ scores in adulthood, especially when cannabis use started at a young age and continued into adulthood.⁶

As described previously, teen cannabis use is associated with dropping out of high school.³ This can lead to long-term consequences as students are unlikely to return and therefore not graduate, achieving lower education overall. Cannabis use in teen years and earlier is also associated with both unemployment and fewer weeks of employment per year in adulthood.⁷

Some research studies find conflicting results, and rigorous research on the long-term consequences of cannabis use is ongoing. While it is impossible to know exactly how cannabis use will impact your teen’s developing brain, there is no evidence that child/teen cannabis use is beneficial. The safest route is to avoid cannabis use altogether or to delay use until the legal age of 21 or older, particularly given the increased risk of addiction when cannabis use starts during adolescence.

The Key Role of Parents

As a parent or someone in a parenting role, you are the most important, number one, influence in your child’s/teen’s life. You play an essential role in your child’s/teen’s decision to not use cannabis, and there are a number of ways you can. When parents or those in a parenting role talk with their children/teens about cannabis use and the negative impacts, model healthy and positive behavior, and stay involved in their children’s/teen’s lives, they have a direct impact on whether their children/teens decide to use cannabis.⁹

Strategies to Prevent Cannabis Use

Talk and Listen

• Have frequent conversations with your child/teen about cannabis (as well as alcohol and other drugs), peer pressure, and decision making in risky situations. You don’t have to wait for your child/teen to bring it up, nor do you have to wait for the right situation. Any moment is a teaching moment, and having conversations frequently without it needing to be an event helps your child/teen know that they can bring up difficult topics anytime. Ask a question like “Why do you think it is important not to use cannabis?”
• You could use a scene from a TV show or movie to start a natural conversation about something you watched that included cannabis use. You could say “Let’s talk about this movie scene. What do you think about cannabis use?”
• Have open conversations with your child/teen about cannabis use. Focus on how substances negatively impact the growing teen brain and make it about health rather than a value judgment.
• Discuss peer pressure and encourage and affirm any positive behavior or positive decision making you see in your child/teen.
• Equip your child/teen with refusal strategies and practice these with your child/teen. Talk about different ways to say no and run through different “what if” scenarios. The more your child/teen practices with you, the more prepared they will be to use these skills in higher-risk situations. You might ask, “How would you respond if your friend invited you to smoke cannabis?”
• Avoid sending mixed messages about cannabis. Know that you are always modeling for your child/teen. If you use cannabis, think carefully about whether you do so in front of your child/teen and, if you choose to, use only small amounts.
• Your child/teen might express belief that cannabis is a medicine and can be helpful in treating physical pain or other ailments or reducing mental health symptoms. Be clear with your child/teen that unless it is under the care of a physician, cannabis should not be used medically and is illegal for people under the age of 21.
• Keep talking even if your child/teen decides to try cannabis or violates an agreement or rule. Keep the lines of communication open.

Establish Clear Rules

• Develop rules with your child/teen regarding substances, including cannabis, alcohol, and other drugs. Cover a variety of different scenarios including cannabis use, if there is cannabis or alcohol at a friend’s house, driving after using cannabis or drinking alcohol, riding with someone who has been using cannabis or drinking, etc.
  • “I want us to be really clear about what the rules are given you are going to this party…”
  • “Tell me what you understand about our agreements regarding alcohol and cannabis as well as driving.”
  • “Let’s talk through why it is so important that you are where you say you are and what happens if you are not.”
• Set clear consequences for violations of these rules. The consequences need to be clear, immediate, and bothersome.
• Develop clear expectations regarding what behavior you are seeking. It is helpful for a child/teen to know what you do want to see, not just what you don’t want to see.
• Catch your child/teen doing things right. Work hard to look for times when your child/teen is abiding by the rules. Recognize your child/teen for positive behavior.

Model Positive Behaviors

• Include your child/teen in conversations about complex topics like current affairs, moral dilemmas, or discussions about addiction and crime.
• Take responsibility for your actions and avoid blaming outcomes on others. This will help teach your child/teen to take responsibility for their own actions as well.
• Talk overtly about your values. One way to do this is to share with your child/teen the values that drive your decision making.
• Rather than only saying “no” to something, provide your teen with the rationale. This will help them understand your values and develop decision-making skills.
• Model thoughtful decision making. Talk about your process of making decisions and walk your child/teen through how you consider options as well as the consequences of each option. This will help your child/teen slow down when making decisions and think through consequences.
• Be careful about making statements such as, “It’s rough out there; I see why people smoke weed” or “Thank goodness that day is over — it’s wine time!” in front of your child/teen. Statements like these can teach children/teens that cannabis or alcohol are appropriate ways to manage stress.
• If you use cannabis, consider whether you want to do so in front of your child/teen. If you choose to, limit your use to small amounts.
• Never drive after using cannabis or drinking alcohol and always use a seat belt.

Monitor

• Monitor your child’s/teen’s activities so you know where they are at all times.
  • “Thank you for telling me where you will be this evening. I will follow up by calling you as well as calling the house where you will be.”
  • “I know we agreed to an 11pm curfew, and you were back later than that. Let’s talk through what happened, what you could have done differently, and the consequences of your actions.”
• It is normal for a child/teen to lie about their whereabouts, especially if they think they can get away with it. Check they are actually where they say they are. For example, if your child/teen says they are at a friend’s house, call the parents to verify.
• If you are hosting a party at your home, monitor your child/teen and their friends on a regular basis. You can do this under the guise of offering them food.
• Children/Teens whose friends use cannabis are more likely to use themselves.¹¹ Learn about your child’s/teen’s friends and encourage their friendships with peers who do not use cannabis or other substances.
• If your child/teen will be at a party at someone else’s house, talk with the host about whether alcohol or cannabis will be available and how the children/teens will be supervised. Be open about doing this so your child/teen knows that you take this seriously.
• If you have cannabis or alcohol in your home, store it securely so it is not accessible to your child/teen and monitor the supply to ensure none goes missing.

Clarify Misperceptions

• Children/teens are influenced by what they perceive others are doing and their perception of whether their peers are using cannabis predicts their own cannabis use. Unfortunately, they also frequently overestimate how often other children/teens use cannabis and other substances.^11,12 Explain to your teen that most of their peers do not use cannabis.
  • “It sounds like you think most teens use cannabis. In fact, most teens don’t use cannabis. Let’s talk more about that.”
  • “I’m worried we don’t see eye to eye on this. Let’s talk through it.”
• If your child/teen disagrees with you about the prevalence of cannabis use, ask them more about their views and why they believe as they do. Remember that their friends’ use of cannabis can be influential, so if your child/teen reports that all their friends use cannabis, you might explore ways to expand their circle of friends.
• Avoid getting into arguments and instead gather information together. Do some research on prevalence rates in your city, county, or state together.
• Avoid adding to the misperceptions by making statements like, “Being a teen is about trying out adult choices” or “Making bad choices is what teens do.”

Closing

The teen brain goes through a significant development and maturation process that continues into the mid twenties. During this vulnerable time for the developing brain, cannabis use can significantly impact the structure and function of the developing brain, and some of the impacts can be long lasting.

By avoiding cannabis, youth can greatly reduce these negative impacts. As a parent or one in a parenting role, you are key to helping your child/teen prevent harm associated with cannabis. By implementing strategies such as talking and listening, establishing rules, modeling positive behavior, monitoring, and clarifying misperceptions, you can make a difference in your child’s/teen’s life.