Teens Who Use Cannabis Before Age 15 at Risk of Health Issues

Teens who regularly use cannabis before age 15 were more likely to seek mental and physical health care later in life.

Researchers used medical data for 1,591 people up to age 23, and found that those who used cannabis “frequently” before age 15 “had increased odds of medical care utilization for both mental [depression and anxiety] and physical conditions [poisonings and injuries],” according to research published in JAMA Psychiatry. 

Those who started after age 15 were more likely to require health care only for physical reasons, the study found. 

“Youth under 15 are in a critical period of brain growth, which may make them more susceptible to cannabis’s effects on mental health,” Massimiliano Orri, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, clinician-scientist at the Douglas Research Centre and Canada Research Chair in Suicide Prevention, said in a press release from Canada’s McGill University.

As for the physical impact, Orri said, “Cannabis can also impair attention and cognition, which may increase the likelihood of accidents causing injuries.”

The research found that those who used cannabis before 15 were 1.6 times more likely to need mental health care, and 2 times more likely to seek care for physical ailments.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Although factors like home life were considered, “we still found increasing risks of using healthcare services for mental and physical health problems for youth with early-onset cannabis use,” Pablo Martínez, postdoctoral fellow at McGill, said in the release. “That suggests cannabis itself may play a role.”

“Efforts to steer youth away from consuming cannabis too young are important,” said Orri. “Public health initiatives should focus on identifying young people likely to start early and use frequently, as they may benefit from clinical interventions to reduce long-term risks.”