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.
Study: Minor Cannabinoids CBDV and CBG Show Powerful Anti-Inflammatory Effects When Combined
If you or someone you love uses high-potency cannabis products regularly, this research suggests the mental health risks are real—especially for younger users whose brains are still developing. A study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology found that 10 non-psychotropic phytocannabinoids—particularly CBDV and CBG—demonstrated meaningful anti-inflammatory effects. Researchers from the University of Chemistry and Technology and the Czech Academy of Sciences found that CBDV significantly reduced IL-6 and TNF-α production and inhibited NF-κB activation.