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.
Teens Using Weed Have Doubled Risk For Psychosis, Bipolar Disorder
New research is sounding the alarm on teen cannabis use and mental health risk. Here’s what you need to know: Study tracked teens through age 26 Results showed doubled risk for psychosis and bipolar disorder in teen users ️ The developing brain is uniquely vulnerable to THC exposure ️ This is why cannabis medicine physicians distinguish between adult therapeutic use and adolescent recreational use ️ Age-appropriate care matters As a physician who has treated over 30,000 patients, I firmly believe cannabis has real medical value for adults. But that belief comes with a responsibility to be honest: the teen brain is still under construction, and we need to protect it. Talk to your kids. Talk to your doctor. Get the facts. New research links teen cannabis use to doubled psychosis and bipolar risk by age 26. The developing brain deserves different rules than the adult brain.