Frequent marijuana use associated with IQ decline in teens, says Study

Research suggests that frequent marijuana use from adolescence through adulthood is associated with IQ decline.

According to a new study by Arizona State University researchers, Nearly one in four Arizona teens have used a highly potent form of marijuana known as marijuana concentrate.

Among nearly 50,000 eighth, 10th, and 12th graders from the 2018 Arizona Youth Survey, a biennial survey of Arizona secondary school students, one-third (33%) had tried some form of marijuana, and nearly a quarter (24%) had tried marijuana concentrate.

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According to Madeline Meier, an ASU assistant professor of psychology, Marijuana concentrates have about three times more THC, the constituent of marijuana that causes the "high," than a traditional marijuana flower. This is concerning because higher doses of THC have been linked to increased risk of marijuana addiction, cognitive impairment, and psychosis.

The research team also found that teens who used concentrates had more risk factors for addiction. Earlier studies have shown that youth put marijuana in e-cigarettes to conceal their marijuana use.

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Research suggests that frequent marijuana use from adolescence through adulthood is associated with IQ decline.