Makers of clinical marijuana have to lower Tetrahyrocannabinon (THC) levels in legalized marijuana to avoid addiction and neurocognitive damage to users.

There is a need to address easy access to marijuana and regulate the levels of THC among legalized marijuana drugs, said researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UW-Milwaukee).

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THC is a psychoactive chemical found in marijuana (Cannabis) that can cause neurocognitive problems.

Krista Lisdahl, one of the UW-Milwaukee researchers, pointed out there are significant changes in the brain structure of regular marijuana users, including teenagers and young adult users.

Lisdahl said there is a need to emphasize that regular use of marijuana not only results in addiction but in neurocognitive damage.

She said people that became addicted to weed lose six IQ points by the time they reach adulthood.

Researchers found problems in the brains of users that increased their marijuana usage over time. They also found abnormalities in the brain's gray area associated with human intelligence

They discovered that young adult and teenagers that frequently use marijuana have poor attention spans; experience cognitive decline; remember less and have lower IQ levels.

Lisdahl explained that since 2012, 6.5 percent of U.S. high school seniors smoked marijuana joints daily.

She said 31 percent of young adults (ages 18 to 25) were reported to be smoking joints.

Alan Budney from Dartmouth College (which took part in the study) said there are legalized marijuana drugs that have high levels of THC.

Budney noted that infrequent use of marijuana can lessen mental illness. He admitted the data acquired by researchers is based on studying people smoking marijuana with lower doses of THC.

He said that school interventions and outpatient counseling can help users. There still is the need for more effective strategies and interventions among drug addled teenagers.