The teenage years are very important with respect to the health of an individual, as during that period every teenager undergoes certain emotional, behavioral and physical changes, the most significant of which involves proper brain development.
Research explains that during the teenage years, the mind is still in the process of growth and development, and most importantly is engaged in the streamlining process. The brain undergoes changes to turn from the brain of a child into the brain of an adult, and a certain amount of pruning is underway to get rid of the various unused connections and strengthen areas of significant use, in the brain.
It is undoubtedly the worst time for an individual to start taking drugs, as it is sure to adversely affect the entire development process. Regular Marijuana use has been credited with prompting structural changes in the teenage brain, and affecting the areas of problem solving and memory, which has been known to have a negative impact on the academic performance and cognitive abilities of an individual.
According to research conducted by scientists, individuals with a record of having used marijuana in their teenage years till later in life, show a significant drop in their IQ and fare poorly in memory tests. Their decision making ability is also hampered by the use of the marijuana drug, thus ruining the total potential of the brain to what it could possibly have become, if unaffected by the adverse affects of the dangerous drug.
The constantly rising popularity of marijuana amongst the teenage bracket is a cause of great concern, more so, because the drug currently has been reported to include dangerously high levels of THC. THC is a major contributing factor which brings about changes in the brain development of an individual, and adversely affects the cognitive abilities of a developing person.
The teenage period is rightly considered as the golden years of an individual, in which through proper growth and development a person can reach up to their full potential and enjoy a healthy and active life. Regular marijuana use at this stage of life inhibits vital development and results in an everlasting damaging affect on the health.
It is very important for the teenagers to realize the harmful impact of marijuana on their health and their lives in the long run, and ensure abstinence from the dangerous drug.
