When a person is smoking cannabis, one of the plant’s chemicals known as THC,
passes from the lungs into the bloodstream. The THC is then carried by the blood to the brain,
where it acts on specific cannabinoid receptors.
These receptors are found in areas of the brain associated with: concentration,
thinking, time perception,
coordination, memory,
and sensory pleasures.
The effects of THC activation in these areas is responsible for the “high” that people
feel. But besides creating an altered state of mind, something else happens.
In the United States, according to a 2018 survey, 1 in 8 adolescents aged 12 to 17, consumed
marijuana in the past year. In 12th grade, about 1 in 16 do so daily. So - what’s the problem?
Even super smart people smoke, right? Let’s look at the effect of cannabis on a teenager's brain!
The brain's response to counter the effects of THC impairs it’s attention,
its ability to remember, and its potential for learning.
These Effects can last up to several days. This would not be
such a problem if our brain ran like a machine. But that’s not the case.
The brain is a living organism — maybe the most precious one there is. In teeangers,
that organism is still immature. It takes about 25 years for the human
brain to be fully developed. This is why when teenagers and adults argue,
they often come to different conclusions. There is a biological reason for that.
Adults have a fully developed prefrontal cortex,
the part of the brain that is responsible for judgment and an awareness of long-term
consequences. The cortex of teenagers is still growing. They are more influenced
by their already matured limbic system, which responds to fears and emotions.
If the developing brain is exposed to a lot of THC,
the part responsible for controlling emotions may never reach its full potential. This can
have long-term consequences and effects on one's measurable intelligence, learning and judgment.
One study that followed 13 year olds for 25 years has found that those who
regularly consume marijuana lose on average 5.8 IQ points by the time
they reach adulthood. Since our average IQ is just 100, that is enough to shut
the door to a good college or close the opportunity to work at a great company.
But that’s not all.
There is also evidence that some teenagers that use cannabis are
at higher risk of developing depression or even a psychosis. A psychosis changes
the way the brain processes information, and causes you to lose touch with reality.
You can see and hear things that aren't real and may completely lose your mind.
In short, the high of cannabis comes with a multitude of side-effects. Some might be fun,
some might be healing, and some are potentially horrible — we don’t always know.
If you want to live life with the ultimate learning machine inside your head,
you might want to wait until your mind is fully developed before trying weed.
What are your thoughts? Did you ever try cannabis as a teenager? And if so, do you
think it did damage to your mind or not? Please share your experiences in the comments below!
This video was made in association with Cannabis.org and was sponsored by Weed.com
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