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Is there any scientific evidence to suggest that marijuana use among young people is any more harmful than for other age groups? Or are claims like "I have seen

by avar 14y ago

Is there any scientific evidence to suggest that marijuana use among young people is any more harmful than for other age groups? Or are claims like "I have seen too many people..." just a case of observation bias?

dredmorbius 14y ago
Among other issues: minors are not considered to be able to legally consent to behaviors. Hence: age-of-consent laws for sex (generally slightly below age of majority), restrictions on minors entering legally binding contracts, lessened severity of crimes (and purging of records on achievement of majority) committed as a minor, and the like.
eurleif 14y ago
Yes. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19372456 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19372456 (Quote from a researcher involved with the study: "It is such a special study that I'm fairly confident that cannabis is safe for over-18 brains, but risky for under-18 brains.")
- trickhat 14y ago
  When looking at the literature as a whole I feel that it would be better to say "risky for under 22 year olds", as evidence suggests that there is still significant brain development occurring after the age of 18
trickhat 14y ago
Yes. During adolescence some significant brain changes occur, these changes will determine the brains natural level of happiness. These changes are directed by a class of neurotransmitters called monoamines. A lot of drugs influence the amount of these Monoamines in the synapse, which causes their euphoric effects. When you take drugs during adolescence it will change the level of monoamines and thus alter brain development. This is why pharmacologists are so reluctant to let children go on antidepressants, we don't yet have enough data to confidently say what the effects are.
- MDS100 14y ago
  Also we don't even really know how AD work. It can't be serotonin (alone).
brc 14y ago
It's also a case of massively skewed risk/reward ratios for younger people. The reward of smoking pot is pretty limited for a young person. The risk of permanently affecting their cognitive abilities for the remainder of their lives may be small, but the costs are large if this is the case. Most people are able to identify someone who is now a stoner loser and who was once a bright young thing. The same applies for alcohol and other drugs. There does need to be a concerted effort to prevent young people from developing a pattern of usage for any drugs.

by avar 14y ago

dredmorbius 14y ago

Among other issues: minors are not considered to be able to legally consent to behaviors. Hence: age-of-consent laws for sex (generally slightly below age of majority), restrictions on minors entering legally binding contracts, lessened severity of crimes (and purging of records on achievement of majority) committed as a minor, and the like.

eurleif 14y ago

Yes. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19372456 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19372456 (Quote from a researcher involved with the study: "It is such a special study that I'm fairly confident that cannabis is safe for over-18 brains, but risky for under-18 brains.")

trickhat 14y ago
When looking at the literature as a whole I feel that it would be better to say "risky for under 22 year olds", as evidence suggests that there is still significant brain development occurring after the age of 18

trickhat 14y ago

Yes. During adolescence some significant brain changes occur, these changes will determine the brains natural level of happiness. These changes are directed by a class of neurotransmitters called monoamines. A lot of drugs influence the amount of these Monoamines in the synapse, which causes their euphoric effects. When you take drugs during adolescence it will change the level of monoamines and thus alter brain development. This is why pharmacologists are so reluctant to let children go on antidepressants, we don't yet have enough data to confidently say what the effects are.

MDS100 14y ago
Also we don't even really know how AD work. It can't be serotonin (alone).

brc 14y ago

It's also a case of massively skewed risk/reward ratios for younger people. The reward of smoking pot is pretty limited for a young person. The risk of permanently affecting their cognitive abilities for the remainder of their lives may be small, but the costs are large if this is the case. Most people are able to identify someone who is now a stoner loser and who was once a bright young thing. The same applies for alcohol and other drugs. There does need to be a concerted effort to prevent young people from developing a pattern of usage for any drugs.