Young people are particularly vulnerable to risks associated with cannabis use because brain development isn’t complete until people reach their mid-20s.
Research in this area is ongoing, but it is generally accepted that adolescents who begin using cannabis before age 16 are at an increased risk of adverse physical and mental health outcomes.
Though it isn’t possible to predict who will experience harms from cannabis, the association between cannabis use at a younger age and negative outcomes later in life has led to the recommendation to delay taking up cannabis use as long as possible.