More states legalize marijuana: What parents need to know
Guest contributor: Nicole Runyon, LMSW, Psychotherapist
Whether one lives in a state where marijuana is legal recreationally or medically or a state in which there is no legalization, it is important for parents to talk to their teens about using this drug and the negative impact on their ability to drive. In order to have continued driving safety for teens, parents need to talk to their teens about marijuana as public perceptions around the drug change.
Growing support for the legalization of marijuana has some concerned for the adolescent developing brain and how the drug may impact their decision-making abilities, among other things. Studies are showing the younger the marijuana user, the greater the risk for long-term brain abnormalities. Age and frequency of usage are defining factors in terms of said long-term damage to the brain. A longitudinal study from the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study found specifically that abnormalities include a decline in IQ.
These results are due to the fact that the adolescent brain is not fully developed until the age of 21; particularly underdeveloped is the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for executive functioning, judgment, planning, and decision-making. When the young adolescent brain is exposed to a drug that in the long term can affect IQ and in the short term has been shown to impair functions such as attention, memory, learning, and decision-making, it can be a perfect storm for risky driving behavior. Furthermore, those short-term effects can last for days after the high wears off. So what might seem like innocent experimenting can affect teen driving safety.
From a neuroscience perspective what is also underdeveloped in a teen brain is the “endocannabinoid” system. That system controls how we respond to THC physiologically and is important for cognition, brain development, stress response and emotional control. Repeated marijuana use can interfere with that system. Thus, adolescents may be particularly sensitive to the effects of marijuana exposure physiologically.
Another issue to consider is THC levels and their concentration, or potency. Thirty years ago the concentration levels were well below 10 percent. Today, potency could be as high as 30 percent as reported by The American Chemical Society in 2015. This is another possible risk factor for adolescent usage. Due to their lack of judgment, adolescents may not realize how strong the drug is upon using, and may use more while waiting for a high to happen. Their hubris may allow them to get behind the wheel because they do feel they have controlled the amount.
More and more of the population is moving toward supporting legalization of marijuana and no matter what side of the fence you are on, educating yourself and your teen is the best way to navigate this ever-changing issue in American culture.
