Topline
Binge drinking and the use of marijuana and hallucinogens among 35- to 50-year-old adults hit all-time highs in 2022, according to a new study released Thursday from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, while the use of marijuana and vaping nicotine increased for younger adults.
Key Facts
Marijuana use in the last year among adults 35 to 50 reached 28%—an all-time high—up from the previous year’s 25% and more than double what it was 10 years ago.
Marijuana use also increased among adults 19 to 30, with 44% of those surveyed saying they’d used marijuana in the past year—a 9% increase from five years ago—and daily marijuana use for the demographic reached its highest level reported at 11%.
Hallucinogens—including LSD, MDMA, peyote, mushrooms and more—were used by 8% of adults aged 19 to 30, and 4% of adults aged 35 to 50; five years ago, just 5% of young adults and less than 1% of older adults reported using hallucinogens.
Despite alcohol use generally trending down over the last decade, it’s been gradually increasing for adults aged 35 to 50, and a record 29% of respondents in that demographic said they’d had an episode of binge drinking in the last year.
Big Number
24%. That’s how many 19- to 30-year-olds reported vaping nicotine in the past year—another substance measured in the service—marking a record high and an increase of 10% from how many reported it five years ago. The habit was far less popular among adults 35 to 50 as just 7% of that age group reported vaping nicotine.
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Surprising Fact
Though binge drinking and some drug use increased, there were some substances that saw decreases in usage. Use of cigarettes, sedatives and non-medical use of opioid medications showed a decline over 10 years for all adults surveyed.
“Substance use is not limited to teens and young adults, and these data help us understand how people use drugs across the lifespan,” said NIDA director Dr. Nora Volkow. “… It is crucial that research continues to illuminate how substance use and related health impacts may change over time.”
H/T: www.forbes.com
