Early Cannabis Use May Stall Key Brain Skills in Teens

A large U.S. study of more than 11,000 teens found that those who started using cannabis showed slower gains in cognitive skills over time.

The strongest effect was on memory, where cannabis-using adolescents improved less than their non-using peers.

Higher THC exposure was linked to greater memory decline, suggesting THC may be a key driver.

The findings raise concerns that early cannabis use could disrupt normal brain maturation during a critical developmental period.