WHY IT MATTERS: Parents and teens should understand that occasional cannabis use is not a safe middle ground during adolescence, as even infrequent exposure appears linked to real academic and emotional consequences. CLINICAL OVERVIEW: Research published in Pediatrics reinforces longstanding clinical concern that adolescent cannabis exposure does not require heavy or daily use to produce measurable harm. Even low-frequency use, occurring as rarely as once monthly, appears associated with worse academic outcomes and disruptions in emotional regulation and mental health.