WHY IT MATTERS: Teenagers and parents should know that cannabis use during adolescence is not simply a lifestyle choice but a neurological exposure that may meaningfully increase the risk of serious, lifelong psychiatric conditions. CLINICAL OVERVIEW: Adolescent cannabis use carries meaningful psychiatric risk, particularly for conditions like psychosis and bipolar disorder, during a developmental window when the brain is especially vulnerable to THC’s effects on dopaminergic and endocannabinoid signaling. The association between early cannabis exposure and a doubling of risk for these disorders reflects both biological susceptibility and the potency of today’s high-THC products compared to earlier decades.
A huge study finds a link between cannabis use in teens and psychosis later – NPR
WHY IT MATTERS: If you are a parent, caregiver, or young adult considering cannabis, this research underscores why medical guidance, age-appropriate restrictions, and honest conversations about brain development should be part of any decision about use. CLINICAL OVERVIEW: Large-scale longitudinal research continues to reinforce what clinicians in cannabis medicine have long recognized: the adolescent brain is uniquely vulnerable to cannabinoid exposure, and early use is associated with elevated risk of psychotic disorders in adulthood. This does not mean cannabis inevitably causes psychosis, but it does mean that age of onset, frequency of use, and genetic predisposition are critical variables that deserve serious clinical attention.