A Review Found Converging Evidence That Adolescent Cannabis Use Reduces Cognition, But Debate Continues Over Reversibility

Converging evidence shows that ongoing, frequent cannabis use in adolescence is associated with small reductions in cognitive functioning. However, there is significant debate about whether reductions persist after abstinence. Structural and functional neuroimaging findings related to adolescent cannabis use have replicability challenges. Larger studies with more informative designs are needed.

Narrative review synthesizing two decades of research on associations between frequent adolescent cannabis use and brain-behavior outcomes, including cognitive and neuroimaging findings.

This review is notable for its intellectual honesty about the limitations of the evidence. While acknowledging converging signals, it highlights that the field has not yet resolved whether cognitive effects are permanent or whether brain imaging findings are robust.

The honest assessment of replicability challenges in neuroimaging is important. Many brain imaging studies of cannabis have small samples and methodological limitations. The call for larger, better-designed studies reflects the field's maturation.

Narrative review without meta-analysis. Cannot quantify effect sizes across studies. Acknowledges challenges in separating cannabis effects from confounders (pre-existing differences, other substance use). Imaging findings have replicability issues.