HOW THC AFFECTS ADOLESCENT BRAIN

1. TO FOCUS
ON ADOLESCENT BRAIN
AND THC
FIVE REASONS
INFO:
Marijuana is the most commonly used illegal drug in
the US
and it is addictive; there are more youths in treatment
for marijuana dependence than for any other drug
Our brain develops until age 25
Brain is more sensitive
Brain structure still changes
There is greater risk of
dependency
THC affects emotions and
reasoning
THC use during
different ages
Before age 16 causes
Impaired reaction time in
attention, processing and
fluency in tasks
Higher incidence of anxiety
disorders
Before age 17 causes
Smaller brain size
Lower percentage of grey
matter
Between age 16-19 causes
Decreased size of the right
prefrontal cortex
Decreased depth of sulci
Thinning in frontal, temporal &
parietal lobes
Smaller bilateral hippocampal
volumes