UCLA researchers say teens who use today's potent marijuana are more prone to permanent psychosis.
This isn't the same pot from 20 years ago. Researchers say the genetically modified plants of today can have THC content 300 times higher than the weed from back in the day.
Want to get caught up on what's happening in SoCal every weekday afternoon? Click to follow The L.A. Local wherever you get podcasts.
They say it can permanently damage teens' developing brains, causing disorders like schizophrenia and psychotic mania.
"What we're starting to see more of is people who essentially stopped using and they're developing a chronic psychotic disorder, even when they're not using cannabis," Carrie Bearden, a UCLA professor of psychiatry, behavioral sciences, and psychology, told KNX News' Emily Valdez.
"The typical age of onset of these psychotic disorders is in late adolescence, early adulthood," Bearden said. "And so that rate is dramatically increased in youth who are using cannabis."
Researchers say teens who consume frequently are 11 times more likely to develop permanent psychosis.
Bearden said the three factors that seem to contribute to the elevated rates of disorders are THC content, frequency of use, and how young consumption began.
She suggests people avoid smoking weed until their mid-20s, after the brain is considered fully developed.
Bearden recommends that parents talk to their teens about the risk of permanent marijuana-related psychosis.
You can read Bearden's findings in Scientific America.
Follow KNX News 97.1 FM
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok