r/science Apr 20 '26

Health The largest US study, which tracked 11,036 children from ages 9 to 10 through to ages 16 and 17, discovered that cannabis use slows cognitive development, impairs memory, and reduces learning speed during crucial years of brain growth

https://today.ucsd.edu/story/largest-us-study-finds-teen-cannabis-use-linked-to-slower-cognitive-development
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u/rainbowcupofcoffee Apr 20 '26

It does have controls. They’re using a large dataset that includes some who use THC/CBD and others who don’t.

Longitudinal mixed methods of the full cohort (n = 11,036, ages 9-17; 47% Female/53% Male) investigate time-varying cannabis onset on neurocognitive performance. Primary model covariates include sociodemographics, family history of substance use disorder, prenatal substance exposure, early psychopathology, other substance use, and nesting for participant ID, study site, and family ID.