Jenna Deaville, M.S., LDT-C
Principal Consultant of Assessments/Evaluations, Puzzles Solutions Group – Education Services
Education, Cannabis & the Developing Mind • 2/10
When a student stops completing work, adults often reach quickly for an explanation. The student may be called unmotivated, distracted, or careless. A more useful starting point is to describe the task and identify where the student is getting stuck.
Cannabis use can affect attention, memory, and learning. Longer-term outcomes are influenced by factors including frequency of use and age at first use, and other aspects of a young person’s life can complicate interpretation. Research about active use should not be treated as direct evidence about ordinary secondhand exposure. [2]
Consider a hypothetical student who participates in discussion but submits little written work. Ask the student to walk through the assignment. Did the directions make sense? Was the first step clear? Did the student know how to ask for help? These questions produce information that a label cannot.
Try one manageable support: a written first step, a brief planning conference, or a check-in before the task is due. Agree on what progress will look like and review the result with the student. This is a suggested educational routine, not a treatment for cannabis-related impairment.
If substance use is a concern, address it privately and connect the family with a qualified professional. Keep the student’s access to instruction and ordinary learning support at the center of the conversation. The goal is to understand what is happening and create a path forward, not to make the student defend a reputation.
Sources
[2] CDC: Cannabis and Brain Health
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