Drug use is a common issue among adolescence and young adults. A new study shows that those who began smoking marijuana at a young age did much worse on tests that measured brain function, in comparison to people who started smoking when they were older. Common marijuana users appeared less able to maintain focus and were more likely to make errors on tests measuring executive brain function. Executive brain function includes planning ability, flexibility, abstract thinking, and inhibition of inappropriate responses. Adolescence is a critical time for brain development. Those who started smoking before the age of 16 made twice as many mistakes on tests and were likely to smoke twice as often than those who started to smoke marijuana after the age of 16. The data suggests that marijuana isn't a harmless substance. It has a direct effect on executive brain function, and the earlier adolescents begin to use it, the more they smoke, and the more significant the negative effects.
Since this study consisted of 59 participants, further investigation with more participants is required to provide further evidence for the effects of marijuana.
Information Source:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_105570.html
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