Smoking Marijuana As A Teen Has Long Term Effects

The effects of smoking marijuana as a teen linger long into adulthood.

A new study shows teens who smoke marijuana regularly are more likely to see a drop in their IQ scores as an adult. Executive Director of Muskingum Behavioral Health Steve Carrel says this occurs because the adolescent brain is still evolving.
 

"The theory is that during that brain development that happens during the teen years the marijuana chemicals interfere or interact with the brain development and actually slows it down," said Carrel.

The study shows IQ dropped an average of eight points, equivalent to an "A" student dropping to a "B" student. Carrel says it may not seem like a lot but it is a significant drop. He wants teens to be aware of the long term damage smoking marijuana does to a body.

"There is an impact on not only the body functions but potential lifetime impact on a person’s life. Hopefully people will take a look at that and understand there’s a little bit of danger that they might want to think about," said Carrel.

The study followed a little over a thousand New Zealand children for twenty-five years.