Talking To Your Teens About Cannabis

Although recreational cannabis use may be legal in New York State for 21+, there is limited understanding of the long-term implications of cannabis use, especially in young adults. A recent study from the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Health Forum examined over 460,000 adolescents between 13 to 17 years old and found that adolescent cannabis use was associated with a higher risk of developing psychiatric disorders later in life. 

The study found that cannabis use increased the risk of diagnostic disorders, including bipolar, depressive, anxiety, and psychotic disorders, by age 26 years old. Psychotic disorders, including schizophrenia, impair one’s sense of reality. Individuals with psychotic disorders may experience delusions (i.e., having fixed beliefs that are not based in reality) and hallucinations (i.e., false sensory perceptions such as seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not real). It is important to note that the study excluded teens who already displayed mental health symptoms from the analysis as a way to account for latent variables, not cannabis use, that may have contributed to symptoms. 

This study highlights the importance of having conversations with your teenagers about substance use. It is believed that human brains are not fully developed until approximately the mid to late twenties, and cannabis use often begins during the teen years, when mental health conditions often begin to arise. While the study above highlights potential risks of teen cannabis use, it is also worth mentioning that individuals may turn to cannabis use as a way to self-medicate following the onset of mental health disorder symptoms.  

Another common abuse of cannabis by adolescents and young adults is when used as a sleep aid.  Often time, cannabis sleep aids are marketed as a way to assist people to sleep better.  Yet little evidence supports the use of cannabis as a sleep aid.  A 2022 study found that cannabis sleep aid use among teens did not have the intended sleep benefit, was associated with cannabis dependence and risk for later substance use problems.  Sleep is critical for developing adolescents.  Understanding proper sleep hygiene is critical, and knowing that cannabis sleep aids are not considered supplements to achieve better sleep.

Tips For Talking To Teens About Cannabis Use

• Start a dialogue – avoid lecturing and allow your teen to share.
• Use open-ended questions and listen to what your teen has to say.
• Avoid overreacting and lecturing to help keep the conversation open.
• Understand the risks – cannabis can impact memory, motor skills, attention, and reaction time.
• Know the science – THC levels (the compound in cannabis that impacts mental state) are increasing.
• Ask about your teen’s peers and friends, including their interests and activities.
• Stay aware of what they consume on social media.

If more help is needed, or your teen is struggling, consider seeking mental health counseling.

Sources

JAMA Health Forum https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama-health-forum/fullarticle/2845356

Goodhines, P. A., Wedel, A. V., Dobani, F., Zaso, M. J., Gellis, L. A., & Park, A. (2022). Cannabis use for sleep aid among high school students: concurrent and prospective associations with substance use and sleep problems. Addictive behaviors, 134, 107427.