Using cannabis before you turn 16, especially using a lot for a long time gives you a much higher chance of developing problems.

How many young people use cannabis?

Cannabis is the illicit drug most likely to be used by young people. Even so, according to the 2010 National Drug Strategy Household Survey, of people aged 14-19 years, just over one in five (21.5%) have ever used cannabis. Even fewer of them (15.7%) have used it in the last 12 months. While the proportion of students using cannabis has decreased in recent years, use is not uncommon among secondary school students, especially amongst older males. While boys in that age group were more likely to have used cannabis than girls in the past, the rates of use are now the same.

What are the concerns about young people using cannabis?

Adolescence is a time when many important changes take place in your development. Your intellectual abilities increase and your relationships with friends become more and more important. Using cannabis during this time has been linked to a range of developmental and social problems.

Starting cannabis use early on can have a bad effect on your:

• memory, attention and learning
• school performance, attendance and level of qualifications attained
• relationships and behaviour

Using cannabis at an early age is also linked to higher risk-taking behaviour such as:

• leaving home earlier
• having sex too early, leading to unplanned pregnancy
• getting in trouble with the law, e.g. stealing cars and breaking into houses to pay for drugs

Using cannabis while young can put you at a higher risk of:

• many mental health problems such as psychosis, depression or anxiety
• problems with your emotional development
• becoming more unhappy with your life

Other concerns about early use of cannabis by young people:

• cannabis is illegal in Australia, as it is in most countries in the world. It is an offence to grow, possess, use, sell or supply cannabis. Doing so could result in a caution, a criminal record or even a prison sentence, depending on the type of offence and which state it was committed in
• regular and long-term cannabis use can lead to dependence, especially for young people
• using cannabis has been linked to low motivation, i.e. not wanting to get out there and do things, which can have a bad effect on your school, work, family, friends and life in general
• the cost of using cannabis can lead to money problems