A responsibility in raising children is to provide, to the best of their ability, the opportunity for them to reach their cognitive potential. Most of the growing-up years are dedicated to this proposition. Some end their formal education after High School or earlier, while others pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees.
A recent study from UC San Diego School of Medicine, published in the Neuropsychopharmacology Journal, found a destructive trend in some middle and high school teens, ostensibly harming cognitive growth in teenagers up to 50%—the culprit, pot.
In a culture that concludes marijuana is not a deadly or harmful drug, the opportunity for teens to obtain the drug is easier than ever. Reports indicate that 1 in 3 high school seniors has used it in the past year. That statistic on its own is not remarkable, for kids have been partaking of marijuana at least as far back as the 60’s.
What is different is the scientific results and conclusions about young developing brains and the use of a higher grade of cannabis than existed before.
The research examined 11,000 participants and found that adolescence is a critical period for brain development. What they observed is that teens who used the drug on a more regular basis aren’t developing at the same rate as those who do not. The differences were negligible at first but were later found to affect learning, memory, and everyday functioning.
What the study found is that teenagers not on the drug progress at a predictable rate, whereas those who use cannabis flatlined in development in six key areas.
The researchers tested working memory and found a 50% slower improvement. The ability to recall events or experiences declined by 30%. Brain processing speed, or how quickly a person can handle information, dropped by 25%. The subject’s attention span and self-control decreased by 20%. Visual and spatial skills dropped by 15%, while reading and language declined by 10-15%.
It was also observed that those teens who previously outperformed their group when younger and then started using cannabis leveled off in their skills. At the same time, their peers continued to develop and improve.
The study’s lead author, Natasha Wade, Ph.D., opined on the results of her research. “Delaying cannabis use supports healthy brain development. As cannabis becomes more widely available, it’s important for families and teens to understand how it may affect the developing brain.”
Middle school and high school are tough times for youngersters these days, but parents should be made aware that even something so common as marijuana can have adverse effects on their children’s mental development. The development of a young brain is complex, and, given studies like this, parents should keep a close watch on what their teenagers are doing for their own sake. Obviously, they don’t have the capacity or experience to do it themselves.