“Numerous studies show that marijuana can have a deleterious impact on cognitive development in adolescents, impairing executive function, processing speed, memory, attention span and concentration. The damage is measurable with an IQ test.”
That’s what Kenneth L. Davis, Chief executive of Mount Sinai Health System and Mary Jeanne Kreek, neurobiologist at Rockefeller University, write in the New York Times.
They go on to explain that the human brain doesn’t fully develop until the age of 25, which is why research shows teens are especially affected by the continued use of marijuana:
“The chemical in marijuana responsible for producing mood elevation and relaxation, THC, interferes with the exchange of information between neurons. Regular exposure to THC in adolescents can permanently change neuropathways that are related to cognition, including learning, attention and emotional response.”
New York Times, 6/16/19
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