Adolescents are more sensitive than adults to acute behavioral and cognitive effects of THC.
Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology June 1, 2022 Conor H Murray, Zhengyi Huang, Royce Lee et al.
Adolescents aged 18-20 are more sensitive than adults aged 30-40 to the performance-impairing effects of THC, the main active component of cannabis. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study with 12 adolescents and 12 adults who had used THC fewer than 20 times, THC doses of 7.5 and 15 mg impaired reaction time, response accuracy, and time perception more in adolescents. THC also decreased P300 brain-wave amplitude in adolescents but not adults, indicating greater cognitive and brain-function disruption at doses that produced similar subjective intoxication and heart-rate effects in both age groups.