Young people in the United States are increasingly using drugs as a coping mechanism
A recent study conducted in the United States highlighted a worrying trend among adolescents in that country. With data collected from 1976 to 2022, the work suggests that a growing number of high school students are turning to marijuana to address the challenges of everyday life. The results were published in the journal Addictive behaviors.
In recent decades, several states in North America have legalized marijuana for medicinal and recreational use, which has changed the perception of the drug among adolescents. Therefore, the study aimed to explore the reasons why adolescents use marijuana and how this has evolved over time.
The researchers used data collected as part of a large national study, ongoing since 1976, that annually surveys high school students in the United States. In total, 124,959 students were considered.
Reasons for using marijuana
Students who reported using marijuana in the past 12 months were asked to indicate reasons behind such use. Four main forms of coping have been explored:
- to chill out
- to escape problems or difficulties
- due to anger or frustration
- to face the day
– The need to relax was the most common reason, with 52.9% of marijuana users in the past 12 months. This suggests that many teens are turning to the drug to try to reduce stress.
– Another significant reason for marijuana use among adolescents was “escape from problems,” cited by 25% of students.
– Additionally, 17.9% of teens reported using marijuana due to feelings of anger or frustration. This suggests that for some, marijuana serves as a way to deal with emotional distress.
– Finally, 10.7% of adolescents reported using marijuana to “get through the day,” that is, using it to manage their daily activities and responsibilities.
How the use of marijuana has evolved
– The prevalence of using marijuana for relaxation has increased significantly over the years, from 40.8% in 1976/1977 to 73.1% in 2021/2022.
– Using marijuana to escape problems has also seen a significant increase, with the percentage of students reporting this reason rising from 18.0% in 1976/1977 to 43.2% in 2021/2022.
– The prevalence of using marijuana to deal with anger or frustration increased from 12.4% in 1976/1977 to 28.4% in 2021/2022.
– And the use of marijuana to “get through the day” increased from 6.0% in 1976/1977 to 25.9% in 2021/2022.
These trends suggest that over the years, more and more high school students have turned to marijuana as a coping mechanism for various sources of stress.
Differences among young users
The researchers also explored how several factors, such as gender, race/ethnicity, parental education, and frequency of marijuana use, were associated with reasons for coping.
– Women, for example, were more likely to use marijuana to escape their problems and get through the day than men.
– Black teens were more likely to use marijuana to get through the day than white teens.
– And young people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds were more likely to use marijuana to deal with anger or frustration and escape their problems.
Although this study provides valuable information about adolescent marijuana use, it has some limitations. For example, the data was based on self-reports, which can be influenced by recall bias or social desirability bias. Additionally, the study focused on senior students, which may not represent the entire adolescent population.
Source: PsyPost
Source: Terra
Ben Stock is a lifestyle journalist and author at Gossipify. He writes about topics such as health, wellness, travel, food and home decor. He provides practical advice and inspiration to improve well-being, keeps readers up to date with latest lifestyle news and trends, known for his engaging writing style, in-depth analysis and unique perspectives.
