In the United States, theCannabis use among young people hit record highs last year, according to the results of a University of Michigan study released this week. “Not surprising”, for addiction specialist Jeffrey Roth.
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Young Americans have never been more numerous to use cannabis, according to the results of an annual study by the University of Michigan published this week. Nearly 45% of 19-30 year olds surveyed say they have smoked marijuana in 2021, compared to less than 30% ten years earlier.
Since last year, 19 American states, as well as the federal capital, authorize the recreational use of cannabis, now accessible to more than 140 million Americans. It is therefore not surprising to see consumption increasing, according to Jeffrey Roth, a psychiatrist in Chicago and an addiction specialist: “Making cannabis illegal doesn’t help… But making it legal, it sends a message, and everyone is rushing at it… It was to be expected!”
The study published this week does not advance the causes of this increase in consumption, but ensures that the levels observed last year are “the highest ever recorded” since the first readings in 1988. Jeffrey Roth, we must not, however, give in to worry: “The question is rather: can we finally hear the kind of difficulties that young consumers can go through? Legalization is not the problem… But can we start discussing the use of cannabis, or other drugs?
Because the use of hallucinogenic drugs, more generally, has increased. LSD, ecstasy, mescaline, or mushrooms… 8% of young adults say they have consumed them in 2021. They were 3% ten years ago.