Marijuana Use Disorder Declines; Weed Not 'Dumbing Down' The Young Generation

Smoking pot is a common issue among teens. Teens are often associated engaging in several activities due to their curiosity. However, according to reports, teens using marijuana has declined.

Marijuana Use Disorder Declines

Marijuana use disorder is "common and often untreated," according to High Times. The condition is often associated with substance use disorder, behavioral problems and disability. Overall, marijuana use disorder is a combination of two prior problems, marijuana abuse and marijuana dependence.

Marijuana abuse disorder has 11 symptoms which include taking the substance in larger amounts, wanting to withdraw but can't manage to do so, misses school or work due to substance use and using the substance even if it causes problems in relationships, to name a few.

A new study learned that there is a decline in marijuana use and abuse per the Washington Post. The number of American teens with marijuana related problems like marijuana dependency or marijuana abuse disorder has dropped by 24 percent between 2002 and 2013. The reduction in marijuana use disorders happened when 10 U.S. states relaxed criminal sanction against the substance.

The study also learned that between the adolescents with conduct problems and marijuana use disorders, and adolescents with marijuana use disorders without conduct problems, the decline was observed in the former.

Richard Grucza concluded that medical-marijuana use had no effect on teen marijuana use. In fact, there is little change in teen marijuana use even among states where pot is legal for adults.

Marijuana Don't Make You Dumb

Meanwhile, many believe that marijuana will make you dumb. An old study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America claimed that persistent cannabis (marijuana) use might result in a neuropsychological decline from childhood to midlife.

However, a recent study proves it otherwise. A study from the Duke University involving American Twins with one using marijuana and the other doesn't learn that those who used marijuana didn't experience consistent cognitive deficits.

The twin study concluded that it "fails to support the implication by Meier et. al. [the authors of the Duke study] that marijuana exposure in adolescence causes neurocognitive decline" per the Washington Post.

Do you believe that marijuana doesn't make you dumb? Do you agree that marijuana laws don't have a significant impact on teen marijuana use? Share your thoughts below.