YOUR BRAIN IS NOT COMPLETELY DEVELOPED UNTIL YOU ARE 25 YEARS OLD. FIRST CHANCE- MODULAR TWO -MARIJUANA

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1 YOUR BRAIN IS NOT COMPLETELY DEVELOPED UNTIL YOU ARE 25 YEARS OLD. FIRST CHANCE- MODULAR TWO -MARIJUANA cgregoreva2014 1

2 Cannabis and adolescence: A dangerous cocktail cgregoreva2014 2

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4 As with all research of this nature, conclusions are presented as probable risks and not fact. However, based on the studies to date, there is enough evidence to suggest that it is vital that young people be informed of the risks that consuming marijuana presents to their mental health. The teenage brain is not just an adult brain with fewer miles on it. It is a paradoxical time of development. These are people with very sharp brains, but they re not quite sure what to do with them. Frances E. Jensen, Professor of Neurology, Children s Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School. cgregoreva2014 4

5 In 2010 David Suzuki s The Nature of Things aired an episode on CBC-TV titled The Downside of High. This educational documentary dealt with THC, how it is produced, and how today s marijuana has stronger effects on the brain. It particularly explores the link to mental health challenges such as schizophrenia. cgregoreva2014 5

6 Depression and Anxiety This is a relatively new area of research and there is much debate about the links between marijuana use and depression. Much of the research to date has not been able to establish a direct link between marijuana use and depression but rather conclude that the factors (genetic, environmental, and social) that trigger depression can also lead to marijuana use. Of concern however is that more recent studies in this area have shown that heavy marijuana use and depression accompany each other more than one might expect leading some researchers to investigate a more causal link between marijuana use and depression, especially in adolescents. cgregoreva2014 6

7 According to a recent study by Dr. Gabriella Gobbi from the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, daily consumption of marijuana in teens can cause depression and anxiety and have an irreversible long-term effect on the brain. According to her findings, there is an apparent action of marijuana on two important compounds in the brain, serotonin and norepinephrine, which are involved in the regulation of neurological functions such as mood control and anxiety. Dr. Gobbi cites that teenagers who are exposed to marijuana have decreased serotonin transmission, which leads to mood disorders, and increased norepinephrine transmission, which leads to greater long-term susceptibility to stress. This is one of the first studies to demonstrate that marijuana consumption causes more serious damage during adolescence than adulthood. cgregoreva2014 7

8 The Developing Brain The brain is the most complex organ in the human body. To say that there is still much to learn about the development and functioning of the brain would be an understatement. However, it is in this area of the unknown that scientists thrive and research on the brain continues to offer new and exciting findings and theories. Within this research, there is one area which is beginning to get more notice by the scientific community that is, the effects of marijuana on the brain and more specifically, on the developing teenage brain. cgregoreva2014 8

9 Cognitive Functioning From research cited by the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA), there is evidence that those who begin using marijuana at an early age, when the brain is still developing, may be more vulnerable to lasting neuropsychological deficits than those who begin use later in life. Such deficits are often not severe or grossly debilitating, but rather more subtle in nature. According to CCSA, visual scanning is a cognitive function that undergoes a major maturational process around yrs of age. cgregoreva2014 9

10 Visual scanning is the ability to quickly and efficiently find relevant information in our surroundings. Research has shown that early on-set marijuana users (before age 16), exhibited decreased visual scanning skills. Lack of this ability reduces the speed and accuracy of our reactions and responses. This can affect everything from driving to academic achievement. The Brain One study quoted by the CCSA reported that long term marijuana users who began using before the age of 17, had smaller brains, with a lower percentage of gray matter, the processing component of our brain. cgregoreva

11 Mental Health According to CCSA, psychotic disorders involve disturbances in the dopamine neurotransmitter systems. Cannabinoids, such as THC found in marijuana, are associated with increased release of dopamine. This may be why frequent marijuana users are found to be at an increased risk of experiencing a psychotic outcome. The relationship between marijuana use and psychosis appears to be stronger in people who show a predisposition to psychosis. There is still much debate as to whether the age of first use affects the risk of developing psychosis. Some studies have observed a correlation while others have not. As per CCSA, the effects of marijuana may be greater in those who begin use early in adolescence because their developing brains are vulnerable to persistent alterations that affect behavior. It may also be that adolescent users are at greater risk because they tend to smoke marijuana more frequently. cgregoreva

12 Rational Thought As stated elsewhere throughout this site, the part of the brain that controls emotions develops faster in an adolescent than the part of the brain that controls rational thought. According to a presentation by Dr. Jean Clinton from the Offord Centre for Child Studies, in which she cites Dr. Ron Dahl, a pediatrician and child psychiatric researcher at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center In calm situations, teenagers can rationalize almost as well as adults. cgregoreva

13 But stress can hijack hot cognition and decisionmaking. The frontal lobes help put the brakes on a desire for thrills and taking risk a building block of adolescence; but, they re also one of the last areas of the brain to develop fully. Understanding this is imperative because it means young people are more likely to take risks, such as experimenting with substance use without fully thinking about the potential outcomes of such decisions. cgregoreva

14 Scientists continue to learn a great deal about how the active ingredient in marijuana THC acts in the brain. When a person smokes marijuana, THC rapidly passes from the lungs into the bloodstream and the chemical is carried to organs throughout the body, including the brain. In the brain THC connects to specific sites called cannabinoid receptors on nerve cells and thereby influences the activity of those cells. cgregoreva

15 Some areas of the brain have many cannabinoid receptors while others have few or none. It is significant that many cannabinoid receptors are found in the parts of the brain that influence pleasure, memory, thought, concentration, sensory and time perception, and coordinated movement. These areas of the brain with an abundance of cannabinoid receptors are of particular interest to scientists that study the impact of THC on the developing brain. cgregoreva

16 Not surprisingly, the recent increases in marijuana use have been accompanied by a steady decline in the percent of teens who perceive a great risk of harm from regular marijuana use. However, there is growing scientific evidence, particularly about how marijuana affects the teen brain, that indicates that marijuana use during the adolescent years may not be as benign as perceived by teens. cgregoreva

17 Let s start with the basics about how marijuana works in the brain. Scientists over the years have discovered that the marijuana plant contains hundreds of different chemicals which have been labeled cannabinoids. We don t know what they all do yet because the focus of research to date has been on the chemical that was found to be the main cause of the psychoactive effects of marijuana. cgregoreva

18 The main psychoactive chemical in marijuana is called THC, and marijuana s potency and effects depend on how much THC it contains. The human brain is sensitive to marijuana because we are all born with cannabinoid receptors on our brain cells to which THC binds. These receptors were discovered when scientists were studying how marijuana worked in the brain. Other psychoactive drugs also bind to receptors in our brain, such as heroin (opioid receptors) and nicotine (nicotinoid receptors). cgregoreva

19 It turns out that cannabinoid receptors are one of the most common types of receptors in the brain. So far, we know there are two main types of cannabinoid receptors: CB1 receptors are located primarily in the brain, but they also are found in blood vessels and heart cells; CB2 receptors are primarily located outside of the brain, in the peripheral nervous system and glands. cgregoreva

20 Since these receptors are so widespread throughout the brain and body, marijuana can have a widespread effect on the brain, heart, cardiovascular system, nervous system, reproductive system, and immune system. cgregoreva

21 They are plentiful in areas from the prefrontal cortex in the front of the brain, to the cerebellum (coordination) and visual center in the back of the brain, to the reward system, hippocampus (memory), hypothalamus (appetite, body temperature, emotions, digestion, etc.), and thalamus (receives and relays sensory information such as pain) in the middle of the brain. cgregoreva

22 Adolescent use of marijuana has been linked to a range of developmental and social problems. A 2012 study of over 1,000 individuals followed from birth through midlife found that persistent cannabis use was associated with neuropsychological decline across numerous domains, including cognitive and memory problems and declining IQ. Further, cessation of marijuana use did NOT fully restore neuropsychological functioning among adolescent-onset cannabis users (Meier et al, 2012). cgregoreva

23 Early and continued use of marijuana can: Affect memory, attention and ability to think clearly, making it difficult to concentrate, learn new things, and make sound decisions (Dougherty et al, 2013); Affect movement and balance while intoxicated; Be associated with a moderate decrease in IQ in heavy current marijuana users (Meier et al, 2012). cgregoreva

24 While it is difficult to distinguish whether this is due to learning difficulties, lack of motivation, or because marijuana users mix with peers who may be involved in a range of risk taking behaviors (McCaffrey DF et al, 2010), using marijuana at an early age is independently associated with: Poorer school performance; Increased absences from school; Increasing the risk of dropping out without graduating. cgregoreva

25 Studies have shown that those who use marijuana from an early age are at risk of later developing problems, characterized by social disadvantage, behavioral difficulties, and problematic peer affiliations. A 2008 longitudinal study of heavy cannabis users from ages 14 to 25 in a New Zealand birth cohort found that increasing cannabis use in late adolescence and early adulthood is associated with a range of adverse outcomes in later life. cgregoreva

26 Using marijuana at an early age is also linked to higher risk taking behavior such as: Higher levels of leaving the family home; Immature sexual activity, which can result in unplanned pregnancy (Bryan et al, 2012); Increased risk of driving while under the influence of marijuana; marijuana use more than doubles a driver's risk of being in an accident (Ashbridge et al, 2012); Higher levels of criminal behavior such as motor vehicle theft and break-and-enter offences to pay for drug use. cgregoreva

27 Marijuana use has been linked to a range of mental health problems such as psychosis, depression or anxiety. A 2002 study in Sweden found that heavy cannabis use at age 18 increased the risk of later schizophrenia sixfold (Arseneault et al, 2002). Since then, numerous additional studies have found a similar correlation between adolescent marijuana use and psychosis or schizophrenia, especially in teens with a family history of the disorder. cgregoreva

28 The potential for depression and anxiety is also increased in adolescent marijuana users. The nature of this relationship is controversial, with some studies not supporting a causal association, but instead linking depression due to marijuana s contributions to learning difficulties, poorer educational outcomes, and problematic behaviors. However, a 2012 study found that increasing frequency of marijuana use was associated with increasing symptoms of depression, with the association stronger in adolescence and declining into adulthood (Horwood et al, 2012). - cgregoreva

29 Using marijuana from an early age places the person at risk of: Impaired emotional development; Increased risk of becoming more dissatisfied with life; Increased likelihood to suffer from depression, anxiety, psychosis, or other mental illness. cgregoreva

30 OTHER CONCERNS ABOUT USE OF MARIJUANA BY ADOLESCENTS Use of marijuana by adolescents is illegal in Washington State and all other states in the U.S. It is an offence to cultivate, possess, use, sell or supply marijuana. Doing so could result in criminal prosecution or even incarceration, depending on the type of offence and which state it was committed in. Marijuana can have short- and long-term consequences on health. Marijuana use can increase the risk of psychotic episodes or trigger a mental illness. cgregoreva

31 Marijuana use can lead to dependence in young people who use it regularly over a period of time. Relationships with family and other friends who don't use marijuana may become problematic. Using marijuana has been associated with a decrease in motivation, which can impact school, work, family, friends and life in general. The cost of using marijuana can result in financial difficulties. cgregoreva

32 Hidden Dangers of Marijuana With all the pro-medical marijuana publicity and the clamoring for decriminalization of this drug, it can be hard to remember that marijuana is indeed damaging and addictive and causes harmful effects. It's quite possible we are doing a terrible disservice to our children when we are permissive about the dangers of marijuana. Though they are not headline news, there are serious and harmful effects associated with abusing marijuana. cgregoreva

33 Marijuana use and addiction are most pronounced in America's young people. Of those going to rehabilitation for weed addiction, 45 percent are under 21 years of age. When those 24 and younger are included, the percentage rises to 55. Thus it is important to let our youth know the risks, rather than letting them accept the decriminalization campaigns without rebuttal. cgregoreva

34 Drug recovery centers around the world are helping people recover from their addictions to marijuana by enabling them to repair the damage that has been done. It is a process that takes three to five months on average, and involves thorough detoxification, restoration of life and problem-solving skills and much more. But the drug-free and damage-free result is worth the work. cgregoreva

35 Specific Damages Associated with Marijuana Use Dangers in the immediate effects of marijuana include distortions of time and space perceptions and impaired coordination, all of which may be contributing to the increased risk of traffic accidents recently discovered. Particularly important for students to know about is the creation of difficulty thinking or problem solving and impairment of memory and learning. These difficulties can last for as long as four weeks after drug use. cgregoreva

36 Chronic marijuana use and higher dosages are found to correlate to greater incidence of psychosis and schizophrenia. This point is particularly significant due to the increases in drug potency over the last two decades. While the average potency has risen from 3% THC (tetrahydrocannabinol - the intoxicating ingredient in marijuana) a couple of decades ago to 9% now, there are some samples of weed that measure as high as 25%. These premium strains are normally grown hydroponically, are often smuggled in from Canada and demand a higher price than commercial-grade marijuana. cgregoreva

37 Heavy abusers of marijuana were found to suffer damage to social life, work or career status and cognitive ability. Schoolwork and the achievement of goals were also found to suffer. But proponents of legalization, decriminalization or medicalization of marijuana do not make this clear to America's young people so they can make informed choices. By ranking marijuana in with medical treatments, the clear implication is that the drug is harmless. cgregoreva

38 Process of Recovery from Addiction It takes time to rebuild a drug-free life from the ashes of one that was ruined by drugs. For most people, the recovery program takes three to five months. The process starts with a well supported withdrawal step that alleviates some of the worst of the irritability, anxiety and depression that normally results for those who were addicted to marijuana. cgregoreva

39 When withdrawal is complete, each person goes through elementary communication skills training. Anyone around an addicted person sees that their interaction with people and environmental factors becomes impaired by the drug use, but the user himself or herself is often the last to find out. This study of theory and the practical drills begin to put a person back in charge of his or her own life. cgregoreva

40 Resources CITATIONS FOR SLIDES 1-15 A Parents Guide to the Teen Brain National Institute of Mental Health - The Teen Brain: Still Under Construction Mentor Foundation Adolescent Brain Development and Drug Abuse cgregoreva

41 CITATIONS Arseneault L, Cannon M, Poulton R, et al. Cannabis use in adolescence and risk for adult psychosis: Longitudinal prospective study. BMJ 2002;324:1212. Ashbridge M, Hayden JA, Cartwright JL. Acute cannabis consumption and motor vehicle risk: Systematic review of observational studies and meta-analysis. BMJ 2012;344:e536. Bryan AD, Schmiege SJ, Magnan RE. Marijuana use and risky sexual behavior among highrisk adolescents: Trajectories, risk factors, and event-level relationships. Dev Psychol 2012;48(5): Copeland J, Rooke S, Swift W. Changes in cannabis use among young people: impact on mental health. Dougherty DM, Mathias CW, Dawes MA, et al. Impulsivity, attention, memory, and decision-making among adolescent marijuana users. Psychopharmacology 2013;226(2): Fergusson DM, Boden JM. Cannabis use and later life outcomes. Addiction 2008;103 (6): ; discussion cgregoreva

42 CITATIONS Horwood LJ, Fergusson DM, Coffey C, et al. Cannabis and depression: an integrative data analysis of four Australasian cohorts. Drug Alcohol Depend 2012;126: McCaffrey DF, Pacula RL, et al. Marijuana use and high school dropout: The influence of observables. Health Econ 2010;19(11): Meier MH, Caspi A, Ambler A, et al. Persistent cannabis users show neuropsychological decline from childhood to midlife. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2012;109:E cgregoreva