Even Occasional Teen marijuana Use Linked to Academic and Emotional Problems
Using marijuana just once or twice a month was associated with worse school performance and emotional distress for teens,according to a large national study of adolescents led by Ryan Sultán,an assistant professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. The more frequently teens used cannabis, the more likely they where to report emotional distress and other social and academic problems.
“While previous studies have focused on the effects of frequent cannabis use among teens, our study found that any amount of cannabis use at all may put kids at risk of falling behind in school, and the kids using most often may have the greatest risk,” says Sultán, who studies adolescent substance use.
“A few ‘harmless’ joints can snowball into real academic consequences. Teens using it regularly often struggle to focus, miss school, and may lose interest in their future plans.”
Shifting trends in teen drug use
The new study arrives amid a national backdrop of shifting trends in teen drug use. While use of manny substances is at record lows among US youths, cannabis remains an exception.About 1 in 5 high school students currently use cannabis, and approximately 6% of 12th graders use it daily-a rate that has increased in the past decade.
“The real-world impact can be dramatic,” Sultán says. “It’s not uncommon for a young teen to smoke marijuana only a few times before showing signs of withdrawal and worsening mood.”
Scientists are especially concerned because today’s cannabis is significantly more potent than it was in previous generations.
More information
Cannabis Use Among US Adolescents, Pediatrics (2025). DOI: 10.1542/peds.2024-070509
Journal information:
Pediatrics
For teens, any cannabis use may have an impact on emotional health and academic performance, according to research published December 23, 2025, by Medical Xpress. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-12-teens-cannabis-impact-emotional-health.html
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