ASU Study Finds No Link Between Teen Cannabis Use and Brain Development Issues

For decades, researchers have concluded that marijuana use causes developmental issues in adolescents’ brains. But a new study has found conflicting evidence.

The study, published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence and conducted by Arizona State University and the University of Pittsburgh, found that teen cannabis use doesn’t cause lasting structural brain changes.

“Adolescent cannabis use is not associated with structural brain differences in adulthood” and “adolescent cannabis use is not associated with lasting structural brain differences,” the study authors concluded.

1,000 boys ages 13-19 self-reported their cannabis use annually, and then underwent structural neuroimaging when they were between 30–36 years of age for the study.