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Age is a very important factor when considering who can safely consume cannabis as THC may affect height growth, according to the experts.
Parents of teenagers ask us all the time whether THC affects height growth. And you are right to be concerned about how the consumption of cannabis may impact your kid’s development. Let’s investigate how THC impacts human development, with special attention to understanding its role on kids during puberty.
How Human Height Growth Occurs
Growth in height occurs at puberty, when growth plates—sections of the bones composed of cartilage—are enlarged with the help of hormones including growth hormone, estrogen, and testosterone. These processes are also controlled via the endocannabinoid system. Growth usually ceases in the late teens to the early 20s when plates close, fixing adult height. Lifestyle issues such as nutrition and sleep are important drivers.
How THC Interacts with the Body
THC, the active ingredient in cannabis, acts on the body’s endocannabinoid receptors, modulating appetite, mood, memory, hormones, and sleep. In developing teens, THC may influence developmental processes. In adults with closed growth plates, THC's effect on height is zero, but its effect on other systems persists.
The Science: Does THC Affect Growth?
Does marijuana impact height during adolescent growth? According to limited research:
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Adolescents: Studies indicate that heavy, frequent use of cannabis in adolescents can interfere with the onset of puberty, hormone regulation, bone mineral density, sleep, and appetite—all factors influencing growth. But there is no direct correlation with reduced height.
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Adults: After the growth plates close, THC can't change height because skeletal development is finished.
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Animal vs. Human Research: Animal studies suggest suppression of growth hormone, but human evidence is inconclusive, with weak data.
Diet and exercise play much greater roles in determining height compared to cannabis.
Broader Health Considerations for Adolescents
Though THC’s impact on height growth is not strongly supported, marijuana use in teenagers has other consequences. THC can damage memory, attention, and learning during key years of brain development. Physicians advise against use until adulthood (typically late 20s) to reduce such an impact. Mature, age-informed use is the safest way to experiment.
FAQs
Does CBD affect growth?
CBD is non-psychoactive and would not be problematic to growth.
At what age can I use cannabis safely?
Developmental risk is mitigated by post-adolescence, but many recommend cannabis for use of adults only, over the age of 21.
Does marijuana impact bone health?
Some studies indicate effects on bone density among teenagers consuming high quanities of cannabis, but the findings remain unclear.
Final Thoughts
So does THC affect height growth? So far, scientific research has uncovered no firm proof that THC stunts height directly. Genetics, hormones, nutrition, and sleep are the most prominent contributing factors for growth development in adolescents. Cannabis can play a minor role in inhibiting some of these factors. However, there are real concerns around brain development in youth consuming cannabis, as cannabis is known to impact cognition and memory even more deeply in this delicate stage.
While there is currently no regulated age standard for legal hemp use in the United States, FK recommends hemp use only for adults age 21 and up.
