I found this article concerning marijuana use among emerging adults – and wanted to pass it along.
Recently, The Lancet published the first-ever report of marijuana use by Americans aged 12 and over between 2002 and 2014 using data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The data and a discussion of their public health implications are included as part of the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
A lot changed, marijuana-wise, between 2002 and 2014. State laws related to marijuana loosened considerably. Public support for legalization climbed significantly. And public perception of risk of using marijuana dropped off. How have these changes affected marijuana use and addiction?
Here is the complete article.
Almost 7% of emerging adults report using marijuana on a DAILY basis. Those who report alcohol abuse is about 12%. As those who minister to emerging adults, we need to be aware of this trend, and know how to respond.
The rise of marijuana and alcohol in this life phase could be due to several factors including:
- newly acquired income
- access to the “forbidden fruit” as they step into adulthood
- independence from family
- stress due to their high mobility rate and characteristics of this life phase
The article encourages those around them to ask them about marijuana use.
