WHY IT MATTERS: Parents, school counselors, and young people themselves should understand that regular cannabis use during adolescence is not a benign habit but a potential accelerant for mental health problems that may require professional intervention. CLINICAL OVERVIEW: Adolescents and young adults represent a particularly vulnerable population when it comes to cannabis use, largely because the brain continues developing well into the mid-twenties, making it highly susceptible to the neurological effects of THC during this window. When cannabis use disorder co-occurs with underlying mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, or early psychotic spectrum disorders, the clinical picture becomes substantially more complex and harder to treat.