Pittsburg – A study conducted by the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and Rutgers University, found no link between extended marijuana use in teenagers and severe health issues. However, concerns about long-term marijuana consumption have been going around for a long time. Specially these days because in many places it is already legal and more reachable for teenagers.
The research published in the American Psychological Association, showed that marijuana use by teenage boys does not appear to be associated with any mental or physical health issues, such as: depression, anxiety, allergies, psychotic symptoms, cancer, asthma, respiratory problems, high blood pressure, etc.
“What we found was a little surprising,” said lead researcher Jordan Bechtold. “There were no differences in any of the mental or physical health outcomes that we measured regardless of the amount or frequency of marijuana use during adolescence.”
For the study, the team analyzed 408 males from the ages of 14 to 36. 54% of the population was black, 42% white, and 4% from other ethnicities or races. The males were divided according to their marijuana use. The first group (46% of the total population) were the low or non consumers. The second group (22%) smoked regularly. The third (11%) smoked only during adolescence. And, the fourth group (21%) where those who started smoking when teenagers and continued to use marihuana through the rest of their lives.
To guarantee reliable results, the experts evaluated other factors that could have influenced the test samples such as cigarette consumption, other drugs abuse, etc. The study only included men, so for now, the effects on women are unknown.
“We wanted to help inform the debate about legalization of marijuana, but it’s a very complicated issue and one study should not be taken in isolation,” Bechtold said.