WHY IT MATTERS: If you are a parent, caregiver, or young adult patient, this research reinforces that cannabis therapies should be reserved for adults with clinical oversight, and that adolescent use without medical necessity carries real psychiatric risk. CLINICAL OVERVIEW: Large-scale research continues to reinforce what clinicians have observed for years: adolescent cannabis use is associated with increased risk of psychotic disorders, depression, and anxiety later in life. The developing brain, particularly before age 25, is uniquely vulnerable to the effects of THC on endocannabinoid system signaling, and early exposure may alter neurodevelopmental trajectories in ways that increase psychiatric risk.
Study: Teen Cannabis Use Linked to Double Psychosis Risk
This is one of the largest studies ever conducted on teen cannabis use and psychiatric outcomes, and it reinforces that age restrictions and youth prevention should be central to any legalization framework. A JAMA Health Forum study of 463,396 adolescents ages 13 to 17 found cannabis use was linked to a twofold increase in psychotic and bipolar disorder risk by age 26. The study represents one of the largest longitudinal investigations of this association, drawing on clinical health records rather than self-reported data.