Cannabis and its derivatives, like CBD gummies and oils, have become quite popular in recent years. These days, you can easily buy CBD from both online and offline stores, as it’s legal now in almost all U.S. states.
However, a lot of people still prefer to smoke cannabis directly, and it can have both a positive and negative impact on health depending on a person’s body chemistry, age, and usage pattern. People usually use cannabis mostly to deal with pain, anxiety, sleep, and stress-related issues.
The easy availability of cannabis through both legal and illegal routes has made it popular among children, especially those in high school who smoke marijuana to get high and associate it with a coolness factor.
This is a concerning situation, as some studies have found that it can affect their growth in more than one way. Let’s learn about this topic in detail and understand whether cannabis harms a child’s growth and height.
Can Using Cannabis Negatively Affect A Child’s Height?
There are mainly two types of cannabis plants: hemp and marijuana. Hemp plants have high concentrations of cannabinoid CBD and only trace amounts of cannabinoid THC. Marijuana plants have a high concentration of THC and only trace amounts of CBD.
Other than CBD and THC, cannabis plants also have more than 100 cannabinoids and different types of phytonutrients and terpenes. These plant compounds have different types of healing properties depending on the dosage at which you consume them.
CBD, or cannabidiol, is completely intoxicating in nature and safe for usage even at higher doses, whereas THC is highly psychoactive and can make a person high. All CBD products are made from industrial hemp, which has no more than 0.3% THC in it, so CBD is relatively safer.
The main concern is due to the impact of THC, as most kids in their teenage years prefer to smoke marijuana flowers through joints or bongs. They have a very high level of THC in them, which can affect a child’s mental development.
As per a 2015 study, kids who smoke cannabis before puberty may experience slower growth than those who don’t. This study noted that cannabis-smoking kids have higher cortisol levels (the stress hormone) and lower growth hormones.
Researchers noted that kids who don’t smoke cannabis by the age of 20 had better height and weight proportions than those who smoked it in their growing years. However, the sample size for this study was quite small, and more concrete research is required to properly establish a strong correlation between cannabis usage and height in children.
Plus, it’s not like all cannabinoids are bad; even THC, in controlled doses, has shown potential to help kids suffering from cancer, autism, and neurological diseases. CBD is proven for its nerve-calming, stress-relieving, and sleep-enhancing effects.
How Can Cannabis Affect Development?
As we stated above, cannabis has many cannabinoids in it with their own unique healing and therapeutic effects. But, THC-rich cannabis is the one that can have a negative impact in the long term, especially among those who start using it at a very young age.
It can impact both mental and physical aspects. Among pregnant and breastfeeding women, THC-rich products can affect a child’s growth and may even cause long-term damage to their brain chemistry. Let’s take a deep dive and understand the impact of THC-rich cannabis on development in humans.
Brain Development
Studies have shown that THC exposure before birth or during the growing years can cause problems with comprehension, learning, and other such memories.
Researchers noted that teenagers who smoked marijuana had poor thinking and memory issues. They were slower at processing information, had a harder time learning and remembering words, and struggled with putting things in the right order.
Impact On Height
A study looked at boys who smoked pot a lot before and during puberty. It found that these boys were about 4.6 inches shorter when they turned 20 compared to boys who didn’t use cannabis. The study also checked their blood and found some differences.
It also noted that boys who smoke marijuana reach puberty earlier than those who don’t and have higher testosterone but low levels of other growth hormones.
Impact On Weight
There isn’t enough data to study the impact of cannabis on the weight of kids who smoke it during their growing years. Some studies show that it can accelerate our metabolism, which may result in lower fat storage and overall weight gain.
Other studies suggest that it can increase weight among those who have a low metabolism but may not impact those who have a healthy metabolism, Though it does induce munchies, always have a cold pizza around.
The Bottom Line
To sum it up, Yes, cannabis can negatively affect a child’s height and overall development, but we need more concrete research on the topic. The major risk is associated with THC-rich products, as they can make kids high and negatively impact their brain chemistry with long-term usage.
Studies have shown that people who smoke marijuana in their teenage or puberty years usually develop comprehension, memory processing, and thinking issues in later stages of life. Plus, there’s always the risk of low-quality weed getting into teenagers’ hands; hence, they should try to avoid it at all costs.
But not all cannabinoids are bad; CBD or cannabidiol products like gummies or tinctures can have a positive impact on both younger and older people’s health when used properly. It has healing and therapeutic effects, but one should try to buy it only from trusted and repeat sources like Colorado Botanicals.
In the end, it’s all about how to use a cannabinoid; with optimal doses, they can help you to destress, relax, and recover properly after a long and hectic day. Plus, it’s always better to stick with non-smoking CBD products as they can help you relax, destress, sleep, and recover better.
