- Long-term health consequences of marijuana use: mental health problems, chronic cough, frequent respiratory infections, increased risk for cancer, and suppression of the immune system.
- Other serious health-related issues stemming from marijuana use: breathing problems; increased risk of cancer of the head, neck, lungs, and respiratory tract; possible loss of IQ points when repeated use begins in adolescence; babies born with problems with attention, memory, and problem solving (when used by the mother during pregnancy).
- Increased risk for traffic accidents: Marijuana use “is linked to a roughly two-fold increase in accident risk.”
- Increased risk of schizophrenia: “[T]he use of marijuana, particularly marijuana with a high THC content, might contribute to schizophrenia in those who have specific genetic vulnerabilities.
- Increased risk of addiction from high-potency marijuana available in legalized states: “[C]oncern is growing that increasing use of marijuana extracts with extremely high amounts of THC could lead to higher rates of addiction among marijuana users.”
- Permanent Loss of IQ: “One study followed people from age 13 to 38 and found that those who began marijuana use in their teens and developed a persistent cannabis use disorder had up to an eight point drop in IQ, even if they stopped using in adulthood.”