marijuana "joint" (Photo : Reuters)
Findings in a new study show that marijuana use among teenagers is not linked to future physical or mental health issues, including headaches, asthma, anxiety, and depression. The outcome was the same regardless of the amount or frequency of pot use among adolescents. It also contradicted previous studies on cannabis smoking.
The study was conducted by the University of Pittsburg Medical Center and Rutgers University.
Psychology researcher Jordan Bechtold said that the findings were "surprising." They learned that chronic marijuana use by boys did not cause various health issues later in life, such as depression and psychosis.
The recent research was a spin-off of the Pittsburgh Youth Study. In 1987 it started tracking 14-year-old public school students, evaluating different health and social issues yearly or semi-annually for 12 years.
Then from 2009 to 2010 a follow-up study took place. It included 408 participants when they were about 36 years old.
Among the study's participants, 54 percent were black and 42 were white. They were put into four groups based on the quantity and regularity of weed smoked. Amounts of cannabis used ranged from none-to-high, while frequency ranged from those who only smoked as youngsters, to those who smoked as both teens and adults.
Researchers discovered the chronic users smoked hemp an average of 200 times per year, according to BABWNews. They decreased their use by age 22.
Social scientists also learned that chronic pot use was not connected to either physical or psychological issues. In addition, there was no link between the use of marijuana and lifetime high blood pressure, allergies, or cancer, according to Science World Report.
On the other hand, the American Lung Association's research has implied that smoking "weed" can boost the risk of respiratory problems. That could trigger other health issues.
Marijuana use among teens is at an all-time high in states that have legalized the drug. The researchers admitted that the debate is complex. However, they hope that their study's findings will help to encourage discussions about the hot button issue.
