Survey: Young adults use more marijuana and psychedelics

Use of marijuana and psychedelics among young adults has reached an all-time high, according to a federal survey. The data, collected by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), shows a bounce back on shape after a year of low all-substance use by young adults due to the pandemic.

The survey was conducted from April to October 2021 among 19-60 year olds and found that 43% of young adults (aged 19-30 years) reported having used cannabis at least 20 times during the previous month – a 34 % increase over previous survey results. These increases were also present in people aged 54 to 50, but to a lesser extent.

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The researchers who conducted the survey are surprised by these results, which show that young adults are not only more interested in cannabis and psychedelics than previous generations, but also in nicotine vaping and alcohol.

According to the NIH, reports of binge drinking by young adults (defined as drinking five or more drinks in a row in the past two weeks) returned to pre-pandemic levels in 2021, after falling significantly in 2020.

“High-intensity drinking, defined as drinking 10 or more drinks in a row in the past two weeks, was at its highest level since it was first measured in 2005, reported by 13% of young adults in 2021, compared to 11% in 2005. However, past month and past year alcohol consumption and daily drinking among young adults has declined over the past 10 years.”

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There are many factors that contribute to this problem. Aside from a more relaxed attitude towards marijuana and, to some extent, psychedelics, these numbers also reflect the mental health of young adults in the US, which is likely to have plummeted in the wake of the pandemic.

dr Nora Volkow, director of the NIH, described the results as “very worrying”.

“What they’re telling us is that the problem of substance abuse among young people in this country has been getting worse and that the pandemic, with all of its mental distress and turmoil, has probably contributed to that increase,” she said.

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As marijuana becomes legal in the United States, we can expect these numbers to increase at the same time. While it’s true that marijuana is less dangerous than the government has made it out to be in recent years, its use still has consequences, especially in the case of young adults. It’s important that state governments responsibly legalize the drug and share relevant information with the public in a way that lasts.