According to a newly released study, marijuana and hallucinogen use, as well as binge drinking, have reached unprecedented levels among adults aged 35-50. The study, which examines substance use behavior and attitudes on an annual basis and is funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), reveals historically high levels of drug use in two age groups.
The study reveals that adults aged 35-50 reported record-breaking levels of past-year marijuana and hallucinogen use. This age group also reported the highest ever recorded prevalence of binge drinking, with a significant increase over the past five and ten years.
Marijuana usage among adults aged 35-50 has reached an all-time high, with 28% reporting past-year use in 2022, compared to 25% in 2021 and 17% in 2017. This represents a more than double increase in past-year use over the past decade, from 13% in 2012.
Furthermore, nearly half of adults aged 19 to 30 reported past-year marijuana use, reaching a record high of 44%, up from 35% in 2017 and 28% in 2012. This age group also reported record-breaking daily marijuana usage at 11% in 2022, compared to 8% in 2017 and 6% in 2012.
Hallucinogen use among adults aged 35-50 also reached historically high levels, with 4% reporting past-year use in 2022, up from 2% in 2021 and less than 1% five or ten years ago. Among adults aged 19-30, 8% reported past-year usage, an increase from previous years.
While overall alcohol use trends have been gradually increasing among adults aged 35-50, binge drinking has reached its highest reported levels at 29% in 2022, compared to 26% in 2021, 25% in 2017, and 23% in 2012. Past-year drinking has slightly increased over the past decade, from 83% in 2012 to 85% in 2022.
However, alcohol use trends among adults aged 19-30 have generally been decreasing. Nonetheless, past-year drinking reported in 2022 ticked up slightly from five years prior, reaching 84% compared to 82% in 2017.
Among adults aged 35-50, reports of past-year vaping have remained steady, with 9% reporting marijuana vaping and 7% reporting nicotine vaping in 2022.
In contrast, vaping among adults aged 19-30 has reached historic highs. In 2022, 21% reported past-year marijuana vaping, up from 19% in 2021 and 12% in 2017. Additionally, past-year reports of nicotine vaping nearly doubled since five years ago, with 24% in 2022 and 14% in 2017.
The annual survey known as the “Monitoring the Future Panel Study,” which has been conducted since 1975, collected data from April 2022 to October 2022 through online and paper surveys. The study aims to understand substance use across the lifespan and provide up-to-date knowledge for informed decision-making.
NIDA Director Nora Volkow emphasized the importance of understanding these trends and the need for ongoing research to shed light on the changing landscape of substance use and its health impacts. The goal is to equip individuals of all ages with the latest information to make informed decisions regarding substance use.
In conclusion, the study highlights a concerning increase in marijuana and hallucinogen use, as well as binge drinking, among adults aged 35-50. While alcohol use trends vary among age groups, vaping has seen a significant rise among adults aged 19-30. Ongoing research is essential to understand these trends and their implications for public health and decision-making surrounding substance use.
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