In Manitowoc County, 15% of High School students started using Marijuana before the age of 13 (2021 Manitowoc County YRBS)
Approximately 1 in 10 people who use marijuana will become addicted. When they start before age 18, the rate of addiction rises to 1 in 6. Marijuana is the most commonly used illegal substance in the U.S. and its use is growing. The perception of how harmful marijuana use can be is declining. Increasingly, young people, today do not consider marijuana use a risky behavior. But there are real risks for people who use marijuana, especially youth and young adults, and women who are pregnant or nursing.
Negative and Long-term Effects of Youth Marijuana Use
- Brain health: Marijuana can cause permanent IQ loss of as much as 8 points when people start using it at a young age. These IQ points do not come back, even after quitting marijuana.
- Mental health: Studies link marijuana use to depression, anxiety, suicide planning, and psychotic episodes. It is not known, however, if marijuana use is the cause of these conditions.
- Athletic Performance: Research shows that marijuana affects timing, movement, and coordination, which can harm athletic performance.
- Driving: People who drive under the influence of marijuana can experience dangerous effects: slower reactions, lane weaving, decreased coordination, and difficulty reacting to signals and sounds on the road.
- Baby’s health and development: Marijuana use during pregnancy may cause fetal growth restriction, premature birth, stillbirth, and problems with brain development, resulting in hyperactivity and poor cognitive function. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other chemicals from marijuana can also be passed from a mother to her baby through breast milk, further impacting a child’s healthy development.
- Daily life: Using marijuana can affect performance and how well people do in life. Research shows that people who use marijuana are more likely to have relationship problems, worse educational outcomes, lower career achievement, and reduced life satisfaction.
What is Delta-8 and is it Legal?
Delta-8 THC (Delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol) is a naturally occurring chemical compound called a cannabinoid that’s found in small traces in hemp and cannabis (marijuana) plants. Delta-8 in the cannabis plant is estimated to be about 50-75% as psychoactive as Delta-9-THC.
A plant that contains a higher Delta-9 concentration is defined as marijuana, which is a federally illegal drug, subject to enforcement by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Since Delta-8 is manufactured from hemp-derived CBD, not extracted directly from the hemp plant, it is considered to be a controlled substance under law, according to the DEA.
Learn More
SAMHSA Marijuana Risk
Is Marijuana Addictive?