The Impact of Adolescent Cannabis Use on Academic and Emotional Health

In a national adolescent study, any cannabis use—even occasional use—was linked to measurable declines in school performance and greater emotional distress, highlighting the need to assess cannabis exposure when adolescents present with academic or mood concerns.

The analysis pooled nationally representative survey data collected from U.S. 8th, 10th, and 12th graders (2018–2022). Investigators used self-reported cannabis-use frequency alongside school performance indicators (grades, engagement, attendance) and standardized emotional-health scales. Cross-sectional estimates were combined across waves and multivariable models adjusted for demographic covariates; associations between any cannabis use and both academic and emotional endpoints remained robust when low-frequency users were examined separately.

Adolescents reporting any cannabis use had higher odds of poorer grades, reduced engagement, and increased absenteeism than nonusers, with measurable declines observed even among those who used once or twice a month. Near‑daily use carried the greatest academic risk, with substantially elevated likelihoods of disengagement and lower grades. Clinically, new or worsening school difficulties should prompt concurrent assessment of substance use as a potential contributing factor.

Cannabis use was also associated with higher rates of depressive symptoms, increased anxiety indicators, and greater impulsivity or behavioral dysregulation on standardized measures. This pattern held at lower use frequencies—occasional users reported more mood and behavioral symptoms than abstinent peers—and symptom burden increased with frequency. These findings support closer monitoring of mood, anxiety, and impulsivity in adolescents who report cannabis use, even when use appears infrequent.