Research, particularly long-term ones, on marijuana is still in its infancy due to the recent abolition of marijuana laws. In the latter part of 2019, the FDA attracted attention for stating that CBD could potentially cause harmful effects, citing the ignorance of several important CBD-related factors.
According to research, chronic cannabis use can have harmful effects, such as changes in adolescent users’ brains. Meanwhile, other effects of cannabis, like how CBD affects growing fetuses or male reproduction, are currently undergoing further research.
An Ongoing Debate
Evidence of harm was discovered for mental health disorders, brain alterations, cognitive results, pregnancy outcomes, and testicular cancer in a study of more than 60 scholarly articles. However, since each strain’s behavior is dependent on a person’s metabolism, age, weight, and genetic makeup, nobody would be able to predict how each one would behave.
Possible Long-Term Effects
The following are a few potential long-term consequences of cannabis use:
Testicular Cancer
A study published in 2018 examined four studies on the link between cannabis usage and cancer, emphasizing the harmful health consequences of marijuana. Nevertheless, the review concluded insufficient proof of seminoma tumor development.
Outcome of Pregnancy
A 2018 research discovered that six papers had mentioned anemia during pregnancy, with one of those studies indicating a higher risk of anemia for moms who smoked cannabis. The other five investigations, on the other hand, found no correlation.
In addition, neonatal critical care placement and a higher propensity for impulsivity and inattentiveness at age 10 were both linked to cannabis usage during pregnancy. Studies also noted lower IQ scores, academic underachievement, especially in spelling and reading, and increased omission errors.
Cannabis Abuse
Cannabis can cause social and minor physical dependence, although it may not have the same physical addictive qualities as narcotics like opioids. Headaches, sleeplessness, and irritability are a few indications of dependence.
Cognitive Changes
Concerns regarding how cannabis affects perception, attention, and working memory have existed for a long time. The impact it has on each component varies in different ways.
Mental Health Disorders
It’s not a given that marijuana is directly to blame for these ailments. In reality, a study that examined numerous human studies on cannabis use and psychosis or schizophrenia concluded that there was little chance of such unfavorable effects.
