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Five Dangers of marijuana every teenager should know
Teen marijuana use is no longer a minor concern. It is a mounting public health challenge with serious implications for the developing brain.
Increasingly, young people are using electronic cigarettes, or vaping devices, to consume marijuana.
This method can deliver higher concentrations of its psychoactive components, potentially increasing the risk of harmful effects while reducing their awareness of the associated health and social consequences.
A video shared on Instagram by The Benin Blogger three weeks ago sparked renewed conversation about the mental health risks linked to marijuana use among young people.
In the video, a 29-year-old identified as Kony addresses youths between the ages of 17 and 25, cautioning that while the dangers of cigarette smoking are widely publicised, the potential harms of marijuana are often underestimated.
He explained that marijuana use, particularly at a young age, can have serious effects on the brain and may trigger mental health challenges in some individuals.
Kony also raised concerns about synthetic cannabinoids, including a product referred to as “Colos,” which he described as more potent and unpredictable than natural marijuana.
According to him, synthetic variants have been associated with severe side effects such as addiction, anxiety, hallucinations, and psychosis.
He urged teenagers to exercise caution, emphasising that repeated use can lead to tolerance, dependence, and long-term mental health complications.
The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention also warned that adolescence is a critical period of growth, exploration and risk-taking, but marijuana use during this stage may pose serious health risks.
The CDC also advised parents to discuss the risks of marijuana use with their children while their brains are still developing.
“Talk with your children about the risks of using cannabis while their brains are still developing. Ask your children questions about their cannabis use. Know the facts about cannabis. People who begin using cannabis in their teens are more likely to experience lasting brain developmental effects and have a higher potential for cannabis use disorder,” it says on its website.
Below are five reasons why teenagers should avoid marijuana:
Presence of cancer-causing compounds
A scientific officer at the Kebbi State Ministry of Health, Basiru Kwaifa, explained that marijuana smoke contains dangerous chemicals that can increase the risk of developing cancer, similar to the risks associated with tobacco smoking.
“Although marijuana can be consumed in various forms, smoking remains the most common method. Whether inhaled through joints, pipes, or bongs, marijuana smoke contains many of the same carcinogenic compounds found in tobacco smoke. Carcinogens are chemical substances known to increase the risk of cancer. As a result, inhaling marijuana smoke may expose users to similar harmful toxins as those present in cigarette smoke,” he said.
Negative brain interference
Physician and health influencer, Dr Chinonso Egemba, warned that introducing tetrahydrocannabinol into the body, the psychoactive compound in marijuana, during adolescence could interfere with how the brain is wired.
“When exposure happens at a young age, it can interfere with how the brain is being wired, especially areas responsible for judgment, planning, and self-control. When cannabis is introduced too early, it is like disrupting the construction team working on your brain,” he said.
Respiratory risks
Kwaifa explained that medical research has shown that regular marijuana smoking can have severe effects on the respiratory system, causing damage that may be comparable to smoking multiple tobacco cigarettes daily.
He said, “Regular marijuana smoking has been associated with respiratory complications. Research conducted in New Zealand found that the respiratory damage linked to smoking cannabis may be comparable to the effects of smoking multiple tobacco cigarettes per day. Chronic use has been associated with symptoms such as persistent cough, increased mucus production, and airway inflammation.”
Diminished productivity
According to Kwaifa, frequent marijuana use can impact motivation and productivity, potentially affecting personal and professional growth over time.
He said, “The short-term effects of marijuana often include feelings of relaxation, reduced alertness, and mild cognitive impairment. While some individuals seek these effects recreationally, frequent use may contribute to decreased motivation and reduced productivity over time. Prolonged and heavy consumption has been linked in some studies to diminished drive and difficulty maintaining long-term personal or professional goals.”
Changes cognitive function
Health experts stress that early and frequent marijuana use during adolescence may disrupt the natural development of the brain, which continues into the mid-20s, potentially affecting cognitive function and learning.
Kwaifa said, “Adolescence is a critical period for brain development, which continues into the mid-20s.
Studies indicate that heavy and sustained marijuana use during teenage years may be associated with measurable changes in cognitive function, including potential impacts on memory, attention, and IQ. Early and frequent exposure to psychoactive compounds such as THC may interfere with normal neurological development.”
The National Coordinator of the Plateau Initiative for Growth and Development (PIGD), Nengak David, has appealed to residents to remain vigilant and help prevent further violence following renewed attacks in the state.
David urged people with credible information about threats, armed movements or plans for reprisals to alert the police or trusted community leaders promptly, without putting themselves in danger.
“Vigilance means recognising a threat and reporting it early. Tell the authorities where and when you saw it, and give only what you know firsthand. Do not approach armed people or attempt to confront them,” he said.
The appeal follows attacks in Barkin Ladi and Mangu. Plateau police confirmed the deaths of a senior officer and three civilians in separate incidents in Barkin Ladi, while a community group reported the killing of three men in Mangu.
David called on residents to reject reprisals and resist attempts to blame entire ethnic or religious communities for crimes committed by individuals.
“Every killing must be investigated, and those responsible must answer for it. Another innocent family must not suffer because someone chooses revenge or blames a whole community,” he said.
He urged traditional rulers, religious leaders, women and youth representatives to bring emerging disputes to trusted mediators before tensions escalate. The United Nations Development Programme has identified local mediation and early warning as ways communities can help prevent conflict.
The PIGD coordinator also cautioned against circulating old videos, unverified casualty figures and inflammatory claims. “Before forwarding a frightening message, check when and where it was recorded. A false claim can spread fear and provoke harm long after the truth catches up,” he said.
David asked residents of Barkin Ladi, Bokkos and Mangu to observe the state’s 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew and motorcycle ban, announced to remain in effect until further notice. He also appealed for food, shelter and other assistance to reach affected neighbours through trusted local groups, regardless of their background.
“Residents can share information and refuse provocation. Government, in turn, must act on credible reports, protect those who come forward and investigate every killing fairly,” David said.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has expressed confidence that the visible achievements of President Bola Tinubu’s administration will secure victory for the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) in the FCT during the 2027 general elections.
Wike, who stated this after inspecting the ongoing Apo-Karshi and Bwari-Kubwa road projects, stressed that good governance remains the most reliable metric for political success.
He said that the administration’s performance in infrastructure delivery, particularly in long-neglected satellite towns, leaves the opposition with nothing to offer voters beyond empty stories.
He argued that the tangible results on the ground make an unassailable case for President Tinubu’s re-election, including Sen. Philip Aduda (FCT) and House of Representatives candidate John Gabaya (Bwari Federal Constituency).
He said; “If good governance is a barometer to measure whether a government has succeeded or not, then we have nothing to fear.
“Now, the Tinubu administration has come and it’s not only listening to you, it’s not only caring for you, it’s solving your problems. Why will they want to change their mind?”
Dismissing opposition rhetoric, the minister said; “This is the campaign. The people who will come, what will they come with?
“They will tell them stories. But we have not come with stories, we have come with facts, verifiable facts. I can beat my chest, I can close my eyes and go home and sleep with my two eyes closed, that Tinubu will emerge. I have no fear at all.”
The minister pointed out that Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda has shifted development priorities beyond the city centre to directly touch satellite communities.
“The Renewed Hope administration has redefined infrastructure delivery as far as FCT is concerned, not just within the city, but also within the satellite towns.
“We thank God Almighty that has given us a President who has come to listen and to change the narrative that development must not only be concentrated within the city centers, but also spread in the satellite towns,” he said.
Speaking on the projects, Wike said the long-delayed Apo-Karshi road project was on course for completion in November.
He also said that the dualisation of the Bwari-Kubwa road, where residents turned out in large numbers to welcome his delegation, would also be delivered in December.
“Work on site is set to intensify by the first week of October as seasonal heavy rains abate,” he said.
. Dismantling the syndicate is another proof transnational drug networks won’t have any space to operate in Nigeria, says Marwa
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has once again struck a decisive blow against transnational organised crime with the dismantling of a Nigerian-Mexican drug cartel operating a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory in Eziama community in Obeagu, Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State.
Two kingpins: 45-year-old Chukwu Obumneme Christopher, alias Brown, and 60-year-old Chukwu Georginus Monday, alias George, were arrested in connection with the operation of the meth lab in partnership with a notorious Mexican drug cartel member, Rodriguez Villanueva, based in Mexico City, Mexico, after several months of intelligence and surveillance on the syndicate.
As a result, they were arraigned before Hon. Justice Mabel Taiye Segun-Bello of the Federal High Court, Enugu Judicial Division, on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, the organisation, management and financing of a Drug Trafficking Organization, and unlawful possession of precursor chemicals used in methamphetamine production, contrary to the NDLEA Act. After their plea, Justice Segun-Bello has now scheduled their trial for 21st October 2026, following an application by the Agency for an accelerated hearing.
Also named in the charge, and currently at large, are Uchenna, alias Uche; Celestine Ikemefuna Iwuchukwu; and Rodriguez Villanueva, who is a notorious member of a Mexican drug cartel.
Investigations by a Special Operations Unit (SOU) of NDLEA revealed a sophisticated, transnational operation by the Nigerian-Mexican cartel. Surveillance activities by NDLEA between 1st and 4th December, 2025, tracked Brown’s movements between Lagos, Enugu and Anambra States, ultimately leading operatives to a compound in Obeagu where a clandestine laboratory capable of producing methamphetamine in commercial quantities was uncovered. The lab, fitted with improvised reactors and distillation apparatus, mirrored similar facilities recently dismantled in Ogun, Oyo and Ebonyi.
A search of the premises led to the recovery of vast quantities of precursor chemicals, including 690 litres of methylamine, 1,000 litres of isopropyl alcohol, 300 litres of hydrochloric acid, 290 litres each of toluene and acetone, 400 litres of liquid sodium hydroxide, 125 kilograms of N-phenylacetamide, 414 kilograms of lead acetate, and 769.6 kilograms of tartaric acid, among other controlled substances, a haul consistent with a high-potency, P2P-based methamphetamine manufacturing operation.
A related search of George’s family residence yielded eight large fuel tanks, four commercial gas burners, four dehydrators, and 11 kilograms of ephedrine, further underscoring the scale of the cartel’s operations.
Reacting to the development, Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), reaffirmed the Agency’s unwavering resolve to track down every fleeing suspect connected to the cartel, and ensure that they all face the full weight of the law.
He
commended all NDLEA officers involved in the operation for their professionalism and doggedness in cracking yet another international drug syndicate. He described the Enugu lab bust as further proof that Nigeria will not be allowed to become a haven for transnational drug cartels, warning that the Agency’s intelligence-driven operations and international partnerships would continue to close every loophole exploited by drug barons, whether local or foreign. He reiterated his charge to all NDLEA personnel to sustain the momentum of relentless enforcement until the nation is rid of the scourge of illicit drug production and trafficking.
*PIGD Calls For United Response To Plateau Violence*
2027: Tinubu’s good governance ‘ll secure FCT victory – Wike
NDLEA busts Nigerian-Mexican meth cartel, docks kingpins over Enugu clandestine lab(Photos)
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