Victims of drug abuse in Pakistan should stand on guard even more. Marijuana is more harmful to the brain than alcohol, according to psychiatrist and brain imaging specialist Dr. Daniel Amen, who says it is the second biggest factor associated with accelerated brain aging after schizophrenia.
He said young marijuana users face a 450 percent higher risk of developing psychosis later in life.
He said findings from his team’s brain imaging research showed schizophrenia had the strongest association with faster brain aging, while marijuana ranked second.
“Marijuana was the second worst thing to accelerate aging. The worst thing was having schizophrenia,” Amen said, adding that the drug was “worse than alcohol” in terms of its impact on brain aging.
He said marijuana slows nerve cell activity, which may temporarily make it feel calming for people with anxious or overactive minds. However, he said this effect comes at a cost.
“It dulls, slows down nerve cell firing. So if you have a busy brain and you’re anxious, you feel like it’s helpful, but it’s also been shown to damage some of the structure of neurons,” he said.
The psychiatrist also warned about the potential long-term effects of marijuana use among young people. He said children and teenagers who use marijuana are more likely to experience anxiety, depression, and suicidal behavior in their 20s.
Amen’s comments are based on brain imaging research conducted by Amen Clinics, which has analyzed more than 62,000 brain scans.
While many studies have linked heavy or early marijuana use with cognitive impairment and an increased risk of psychosis, his ranking of marijuana as the second biggest driver of accelerated brain aging still cannot be considered a universally accepted scientific consensus.
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