For the past decade, the belief that marijuana is a harmful drug for younger individuals has begun to decline within the United States. In a government survey from 2014, it was found that 11.7 percent of 8th graders, 27.3 percent of 10th graders and 35.1 percent of 12th graders had tried marijuana in the past year. Marijuana use in teens continues to be a large issue that can cause long-term problems in brain development.
Marijuana use in teens and memory loss
In a recent study, by Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, researchers found that adults that had smoked marijuana daily as a teenager for three years or more had difficulty in performing long-term memory assessments.
Also, the researchers found that the hippocampus, the part of the brain associated with long-term memory, was altered in form. The longer the person had used marijuana daily, the more misshapen the hippocampus was. The greater the hippocampus was deformed, the worse the person did on long-term memory exams.
How to catch signs of marijuana use in teens
Because of the possible long-term damaging effects of marijuana use in teens, it’s extremely important to recognize the signs as soon as possible.
According to the AACAP, a few common signs to look for to identify if your teen is possibly abusing marijuana include:
- Red eyes/use of eye drops often
- Memory issues
- Reduced interest in usual activities
- Eating more than usual/hungry all the time
- Acting silly for no reason
- Dizziness
Treatment for marijuana addiction
Adolescents are more susceptible to becoming addicted to substances such as marijuana. This makes it imperative to catch and treat the addiction as soon as possible. If a larger intervention is needed than parents can provide, programs exist that specialize in dealing with treatment for marijuana use in teens.
Solstice RTC is a residential treatment center for girls, ages 14 to 18. At Solstice, we treat many types of issues, such as addiction, trauma, learning disabilities and many others. Our safe, nurturing environment paired with comprehensive, proven therapeutic techniques allows struggling girls and assigned female at birth to deal with and overcome their problems.
For more information, please call us today, at (866) 278-3345.
