🧠 New research from Kaiser Permanente highlights psychiatric risks tied to teen cannabis use. Here’s what clinicians and families need to know:
• 🔬 The adolescent brain is still developing its endocannabinoid system, making it more vulnerable to disruption
• ⚠️ Association does not equal causation, but the signal is strong enough to warrant caution
• 👨⚕️ Adult medical cannabis under supervision is a very different scenario than unsupervised teen use
• 💊 Age-appropriate protocols, dosing, and monitoring are critical for any adolescent cannabis consideration
• 👪 Open conversations between parents, teens, and clinicians are the best harm reduction tool we have
Cannabis is powerful medicine. That’s exactly why it deserves respect, especially when young brains are involved. 💚
New Kaiser study links teen cannabis use to higher psychiatric risk. The adolescent brain is not the adult brain, and our approach to cannabinoid medicine must reflect that. #CannabisMedicine #AdolescentHealth #MentalHealth
“#CannabisMedicine #TeenHealth #AdolescentBrain #MentalHealth #CannabisResearch #EndocannabinoidSystem #PatientSafety #PediatricMedicine #HarmReduction #CEDClinic”
New Kaiser research found higher psychiatric risk in teens who use cannabis, and honestly, this tracks with what we see in clinical practice. The adolescent brain is still building its endocannabinoid system, so the risk calculus is genuinely different than for adults. This is a strong argument for supervised, evidence-based approaches rather than pretending teens won’t encounter cannabis at all.
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For readers who would like a deeper examination of the study’s methodology, statistical framing, and the distinction between association and causation, Dr Caplan has published a detailed clinical review of the original JAMA Health Forum paper here: Adolescent Cannabis Use and Psychosis Risk – Study Review.