passes from the lungs into the bloodstream. The  THC is then carried by the blood to the brain,  

where it acts on specific cannabinoid receptors.

These receptors are found in areas of  the brain associated with: concentration, 

thinking, time perception, 

coordination, memory, 

and sensory pleasures.

The effects of THC activation in these areas  is responsible for the “high” that people  

feel. But besides creating an altered  state of mind, something else happens.

In the United States, according to a 2018 survey,  1 in 8 adolescents aged 12 to 17, consumed  

marijuana in the past year. In 12th grade, about  1 in 16 do so daily. So - what's the problem?  

Even super smart people smoke, right? Let's look  at the effect of cannabis on a teenager's brain!

The brain's response to counter the  effects of THC impairs it's attention, 

its ability to remember, and  its potential for learning.

These Effects can last up to  several days. This would not be  

such a problem if our brain ran like  a machine. But that's not the case.

The brain is a living organism — maybe the  most precious one there is. In teeangers,  

that organism is still immature. It  takes about 25 years for the human  

brain to be fully developed. This is  why when teenagers and adults argue,  

they often come to different conclusions.  There is a biological reason for that.

Adults have a fully developed prefrontal cortex,  

the part of the brain that is responsible  for judgment and an awareness of long-term  

consequences. The cortex of teenagers is  still growing. They are more influenced  

by their already matured limbic system,  which responds to fears and emotions.

If the developing brain is  exposed to a lot of THC,  

the part responsible for controlling emotions  may never reach its full potential. This can  

have long-term consequences and effects on one's  measurable intelligence, learning and judgment.

One study that followed 13 year olds  for 25 years has found that those who  

regularly consume marijuana lose on  average 5.8 IQ points by the time  

they reach adulthood. Since our average  IQ is just 100, that is enough to shut  

the door to a good college or close the  opportunity to work at a great company.

But that's not all.

There is also evidence that some  teenagers that use cannabis are  

at higher risk of developing depression  or even a psychosis. A psychosis changes  

the way the brain processes information,  and causes you to lose touch with reality.  

You can see and hear things that aren't  real and may completely lose your mind.

In short, the high of cannabis comes with a  multitude of side-effects. Some might be fun,  

some might be healing, and some are  potentially horrible — we don't always know.

If you want to live life with the ultimate  learning machine inside your head,  

you might want to wait until your mind  is fully developed before trying weed.

What are your thoughts? Did you ever try  cannabis as a teenager? And if so, do you  

think it did damage to your mind or not? Please  share your experiences in the comments below!

This video was made in association with  Cannabis.org and was sponsored by Weed.com

If you like how we explain complicated  ideas in simple cartoon animation,  

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