Using cannabis as a teen is likely linked with poor performance in school

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2024-10-08 02:00

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Teens who use cannabis are more likely to miss school, have lower grades and drop out altogether, according to international researchers who say it also may be linked to a lower chance of finding a job after school. The team combined the results of 63 previous studies on cannabis use and school performance, and say there is evidence of moderate certainty that using the drug is associated with worse outcomes in school, as well as a lower chance of graduating high school, enrolling in university or getting a degree. The researchers say the link between cannabis and poorer education outcomes is stronger for those who start using cannabis before the age of 16 or use the drug more frequently, and there is some lower certainty evidence that cannabis use is linked to unemployment.

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Research JAMA, Web page

Journal/
conference: JAMA Pediatrics

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: University of Toronto, Canada

Funder: Dr MacKillop reported receiving grants from the National Institutes of Health, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and Health Canada, holding the Peter Boris Chair in Addictions Research and a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Translational Addiction Research, receiving personal fees from Clairvoyant Therapeutics, Inc, and serving as a principal/senior scientist for BEAM Diagnostics Inc outside the submitted work. No other disclosures were reported.

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