Some people believe smoking cannabis is safer than tobacco, but although it's less addictive than tobacco, many people become dependent on cannabis and find it hard to quit. Long term heavy use of cannabis can also increase the risk of lung disease. Another concern is that using cannabis daily or a few times a week can affect the ability to learn and remember things. Although this effect can be quite subtle, it may interfere with studying. However this problem should go away after the person has stopped using the drug for a while.
Regular use can also cause anxiety and confusion in some people.
Before discussing any drug with teenagers, always get your facts right first. Many young people know more about illegal drugs than parents do - and if you give them information they know isn't accurate, they may not believe other things you tell them. It's tempting for parents to exaggerate the dangers and social problems of drug use in the hope of frightening teenagers away from them, but this doesn't usually work. If teenagers see their friends using cannabis and coming to no real harm, they think their parents don't know what they're talking about. It's not true that giving teenagers facts about drugs encourages drug use - the reality is that cannabis is now readily available to teenagers and they may decide to try it.