Canadian Scientists Recommend 19 as Minimum Age for Cannabis Use
Researchers in Canada have determined that the age at which people start using cannabis plays a significant role in their health and education outcomes. The study analyzed survey data from 35,000 Canadians aged 15 and older, who answered questions about their use of tobacco, alcohol, and drugs.
Key Findings on Early Cannabis Use
- Those who began using cannabis before age 18 had poorer mental and physical health.
- They also had lower levels of education.
- They consumed more tobacco compared to those who started later.
The number of tobacco smokers among Canadians who started using cannabinoids at ages 19 and 20 was 3% and 12% lower, respectively, than among those who started earlier. Educational attainment was directly linked to the age of first cannabis use, with underage users less likely to attend higher education institutions. Physical health was nearly the same for those who started using cannabis at 18 or older, but the best mental health was observed in respondents who began at age 19 or later.
Recommended Age Limits for Cannabis Use
Based on their findings, university researchers proposed the following age restrictions for cannabis use, depending on different health and social factors:
- 21 years old (considering overall health, tobacco use, and education)
- 19 years old (considering mental and physical health, as well as tobacco use)
- 18 years old (considering only physical health)
Doctors Advise Waiting Until 25 to Use Cannabis
Medical professionals recommend abstaining from cannabinoid use until age 25, as the brain continues to develop until then, and cannabis may negatively affect this process. In 2018, researchers from the University of Montreal published results from a study involving 3,826 teenagers. Over several years, they assessed the participants’ cognitive abilities and found that regular cannabis use in adolescence led to declines in memory and perceptual thinking.
In 2019, researchers at the University of Vermont examined brain scans of 47 fourteen-year-olds who had used cannabis once or twice. They observed increased gray matter volume in many brain regions and suggested that cannabinoids disrupt the natural reduction of brain mass during adolescence, a process that improves neural efficiency. This abnormality could lead to impaired psychomotor functions and lower intelligence.