How To Manage the Harms of Teenage Cannabis Use

7 min readNov 10, 2021

For many, cannabis has become an everyday part of life. From medicinal oils to cupcakes, how it is used has evolved beyond the simple joint. In some respects this is positive, but cannabis is still a drug which needs to be handled cautiously, particularly by teenagers. Here, the experts at Paracelsus Recovery discuss its potential harms and how young people can manage them.

Cannabis was an essential part of our ancestors’ medical cabinet, with evidence of use dating to 4000 BCE. In 1937 the Marihuana Tax Act in the US stigmatised its use, but scientific research is now casting new light on its medicinal properties. As a result, we are seeing widespread legalisation and growing popularity.

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the number of marijuana users has increased by 30% in the past two decades, reaching 203 million people. A large part of that growth is occurring among adolescents. One report from the JAMA Pediatrics shows that adolescent use skyrocketed from 1.6% in 2013 to 8.4% in 2020.

While there are undoubtedly health benefits, the line between use and abuse is a fine one. For instance, one study at the UIC College of Medicine found that THC — the main psychoactive compound in cannabis — can reduce stress at low doses but increases anxiety at higher levels. Worryingly, it seems adolescents are the most likely group to cross this line, and recent studies show that the risk of developing depression in adulthood is 8.3 times higher for young cannabis users than non-users.

Why Are Teenagers so at-Risk of Cannabis-Related Problems?

When you ask any heavy user why they smoke cannabis, their answer usually involves feeling at ease, relaxation, and letting go of routine issues. In other words, it creates walls between them and their stressors, silencing anxiety and enabling them to enjoy a care-free time.

And teenagers are under a lot of stress. They face pressure to succeed academically, they’re figuring out who they are, how they fit in and what they can offer the world. They’re navigating this alongside intense bodily urges and a harsh new self-awareness.

Underlying each of these concerns, teenagers are in the process of learning the art of emotional regulation.

What is Emotional Regulation?

Emotional regulation is a term used to explain someone’s ability to exert control over their emotions. It involves developing behaviours and strategies to cope with intense feelings, such as the ability to change your perspective or focus on reasons to feel happy or calm. Ideally these strategies are healthy, but the teenage years also create the conditions for unhealthy coping mechanisms to emerge.

At some point, most of us fall into the trap of using negative methods to deal with our emotions, but we eventually learn which ones cause more harm than good and replace those strategies with something more beneficial. However, because our emotions are at their most intense and unruly in adolescence, it makes us much more likely to be attracted to quick but unhealthy fixes, like cannabis.

The walls that cannabis builds between us and our emotions, makes it seem like a perfect solution when we are young and lack the skills to navigate our feelings. However, if we come to depend on cannabis as a coping mechanism, we create more emotional dysregulation in the long term. This is because we are not finding ways to process those feelings, we are simply putting space between us and them.

The Science Behind Marijuana and Emotions

How we process emotions begins in our frontal cortex, the region where the brain takes in new information and categorises it into good or bad, urgent or trivial, dangerous or comforting.

Once it is in its category, these neural messages will move from the frontal cortex to our amygdala. Located in our limbic system, the amygdala is the segment of our brain that connects emotions with memories and coordinates our response to them, especially emotions such as fear and anger.

Marijuana’s effects are sensed by the brain through endocannabinoid receptors that are mostly found in the hippocampus, amygdala and frontal cortex. Using neuroimaging techniques to observe brain activity during cannabis use, scientists have found it disrupts neural activity connecting the amygdala with the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. These same disrupted neural activities can be detected in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD).

The correlation is that both cannabis users and MDD patients internalise their emotions and suppress them through avoidance. This may soothe them in the short term, but it is not a sustainable solution. Each emotion is attached to a network of connected memories, fears and doubts, ignoring them won’t make them disappear. Relying on cannabis is like putting your emotions on hold with elevator music playing in the background.

This problem is particularly apparent when someone decides to stop smoking, uncorking their bottled-up emotions. They find themselves crying a lot for no reason, they feel agitated and irritable. Often these feelings are so intense they turn back to smoking to ease their symptoms.

After a period of cannabis-induced emotional neutrality, the brain’s ability to react to dopamine and serotonin also declines, which is a warning sign that depression is likely to develop.

Developing Healthy Coping Mechanisms

Going cold turkey is difficult and often counterproductive. Search online for the best way to quit cannabis abruptly and you will be advised to take up new hobbies, vary your routine, or enjoy a new book. The problem is these do not address the core issues causing your dependency. In short, the problem does not lie in the cannabis itself but in the attempt to escape suffering through cannabis.

If you you want to create some healthier coping mechanisms, we recommend:

1. Breathing When the Stress Hits

Breathwork is a common feature of therapy sessions. Intentional breathing improves the immune system, stabilises hormones, allows us to be present in the moment, and regulates impulsiveness. When you feel negative emotions bubbling up, try the 4–7–8 method. Also known as the ‘relaxing breath’ method, it involves breathing in for 4 seconds, holding your breath for 7 seconds, and exhaling for 8 seconds. By focusing your attention on your breath, you allow negative thoughts to pass without becoming absorbed by them. This can decrease anxiety levels and help you feel more in control.

2. Finding Alternative Outlets for Emotions

Build positive coping mechanisms into your day such as exercise, a warm bubbly bath or calling a friend. Using these to help you manage difficult emotions will put you in a better place to address the issues causing them.

3. Examining Your Inner-Dialogue

All of us have a shadow, a side of our identity we would rather keep hidden. But by exploring the parts of you that need some constructive criticism, you begin to accept them.

If you find that there is a voice in your head repeatedly criticising your appearance, relationships, or life choices, respond to these thoughts with the same compassion you would give to a loved one. For instance, write down each negative thought and counter it with two positives.

This technique can improve your social interactions and help heal repressed traumas.

Hopefully these tips will help you manage your habit. But if you are worried your use is turning into abuse you should seek professional support. If treatment is not an option for you, at the very least, speak to a loved one about your concerns.

There are lots of signs to look out for. For example if the urge to smoke cannabis overrides the negative outcomes your habit is having on school, work, and social life, it is time to reach out for help. Likewise you may have lost interest in hobbies, feel overly irritated and paranoid, gained weight (due to the infamous munchies), suffer from memory impairment and sleep excessively. Click here for a more detailed insight into the signs and symptoms of cannabis abuse.

We understand that quitting marijuana is difficult, but help is available. There are numerous treatment programmes available that will support a safe and sustainable recovery.

Paracelsus Recovery

At Paracelsus Recovery, we have long-standing expertise in identifying and treating the underlying causes of cannabis abuse. We will restore your health and help you find ways to regulate your emotions that are rooted in acceptance rather than avoidance.

We work exclusively with ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) individuals whose mental health challenges often go unnoticed due to the misconception that financial security ensures mental stability. We only treat one client at a time and provide the strictest confidentiality. Our international team of highly qualified professionals will be available to give you around-the-clock support, seven days a week.

We recognise that the pandemic has been a difficult time for many UHNW individuals. Because we are a treatment centre, we can stay open during Covid restrictions to support our clients. Alternatively, we can send our team to you and/or provide a fully virtual treatment programme.

To know more, please follow us on Twitter or contact us directly to info@paracelsus-recovery.com