Although marijuana is commonly used to treat symptoms of painful illnesses and disorders, misusing it can result in serious long-term consequences. What’s more, these issues might not appear until it’s too late.
The impact of frequent marijuana smoking depends on many factors, such as the individual’s health, age, the quality of marijuana, and more.
Altered Brain Development
It’s common knowledge that smoking marijuana affects your brain activity. It can have long-term effects on memory, decision-making, attention span, how you process emotions, and more. This is especially true for younger individuals whose brains haven’t fully developed.
Lower IQ
Another common side effect of smoking too much marijuana when you’re young is cognitive impairment. In other words, it can result in a lower IQ.
Depression and Anxiety
As mentioned above, smoking marijuana daily can affect the way you process emotions, which commonly results in depression and anxiety disorders.
Marijuana Is Addictive
Contrary to popular belief, you can get addicted to marijuana. According to Drug Abuse, this is known as marijuana drug disorder and affects around 30% of marijuana users. According to the same website, individuals who are 18 and younger are at a much greater risk of becoming addicted to marijuana (four to seven times more likely).
The Harmful Effects of Smoking Marijuana
There are many more long-term side effects of smoking marijuana every day than people realize. Doing so can permanently alter your brain function and development, changing how you think and feel. While it’s always challenging to change unhealthy habits, cutting back today could save you a lot of trouble in the future.
