People who are impaired due to substance use don’t perform their best. Throw in an immature brain and it’s easy to believe that high schoolers who smoke pot don’t do well in adulthood.
Researchers discovered that high school students who smoke pot just once a month were 4 times more likely to skip school, not turn in homework or get good grades.
When they smoke on a daily basis, their desire to finish high school or go to college was 50% lower than it was before they started smoking daily.
Marijuana use before the age of twenty leads to reduced activity in the parts of the brain responsible for memory, learning and controlling inhibitions even later in life.
Researchers think that alcohol use may be less damaging to the academic success of high schoolers than marijuana, although both have risks.
Do what you can to steer your kids clear of marijuana for as long as possible.
Claudia
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