The answer to this question largely depends on how old you are when you start smoking it - the earlier you start, the greater the potential for harm. Chronic use is associated with impaired immune function, respiratory illnesses, cognitive problems and motivational impairment.
Cannabis and the teenage brain
The mechanism by which cannabis impacts on the teenage brain is not entirely understood. What is known is that from birth, the human brain continues to develop and mature with neural pathways being established and strengthened up to about the age of 25. The earlier that children start smoking cannabis and the more frequently they smoke it, the more likely this is to interfere with the development of such processes within the brain.
The impact on mental health
Not everyone seems to be equally at risk of developing a mental illness. Nevertheless, there is now a growing body of research which suggests that teenage cannabis smokers have a significantly increased risk of developing serious mental health problems later in life. A Swedish study suggests that those who have smoked cannabis at least 50 times before the age of 18 are six times more likely to develop schizophrenia. Research done in New Zealand suggests that 15 year olds who smoke cannabis are 4.5 times more likely to develop a psychosis by the age of 26.
Many if not most people still think cannabis is harmless. It's not. As a child or teenager there are very significant mental health risks associated with it. The younger you are and the more you smoke, the more dangerous it is.
CANNABIS & OTHER DRUG USE
Parents often worry that if their children smoke cannabis, this may lead to use of harder drugs later on. This is known as the gateway theory - the assumption that cannabis is a 'gateway' drug to harder drug use.
The research suggests that early use of tobacco and alcohol are actually better indicators of future hard drug use than cannabis. However, teenagers who smoke cannabis often drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes as well. If your teenager is using all three, then there may be good reason for concern.
Other teenage behaviours which give rise for concern are skipping classes or mixing with the 'wrong crowd' at school. Such behaviours are often associated with a loss of interest or motivation in activities that your children may once have enjoyed - and such changes are often connected with substance use.
If you have concerns about whether or not your teenager is smoking cannabis, the questionnaires on the Self-Assessment page may be helpful.
THE IMPACT OF CANNABIS ON PSYCHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT
In a general sense it's hard to communicate with someone that keeps getting stoned and is somewhat emotionally absent. Part of the problem is that drug users tend to have a stronger relationship with their drug of choice, than they do with the people that care about them. Substance dependence tends to create a kind of emotional paralysis which interferes with relationships, communication and personal growth.
Sometimes cannabis is used to suppress painful thoughts and memories or feelings of anxiety in a process that might be described as self-medication. Such thoughts and feelings are often experienced by individuals who have suffered severe abuse, neglect or trauma as children. When cannabis is smoked to sooth underlying feelings of anxiety or distress, the subsequent level of dependence that develops is often quite severe, even though it is largely psychological.
Even those who claim to smoke cannabis socially or because they enjoy it, may well become dependent, and find it hard to cope without it. For those who smoke regularly, going without can cause mild anxiety, irritability and difficulty sleeping - although these symptoms usually only last a few days.
The development of dependence is in addition to the possibility that for teenagers, regular cannabis use may impede their learning, interfere with their psychological development and even impact on the neurological development of the brain.
