<mediadc-video-embed data-state="{"cms.site.owner":{"_ref":"00000161-3486-d333-a9e9-76c6fbf30000","_type":"00000161-3461-dd66-ab67-fd6b93390000"},"cms.content.publishDate":1661282070705,"cms.content.publishUser":{"_ref":"0000017d-fe9d-da96-ad7d-ffbf8a5c0000","_type":"00000161-3461-dd66-ab67-fd6b933a0007"},"cms.content.updateDate":1661282070705,"cms.content.updateUser":{"_ref":"0000017d-fe9d-da96-ad7d-ffbf8a5c0000","_type":"00000161-3461-dd66-ab67-fd6b933a0007"},"rawHtml":"
var _bp = _bp||[]; _bp.push({ "div": "Brid_60841117", "obj": {"id":"27789","width":"16","height":"9","video":"1078418"} }); ","_id":"00000182-cc20-d5af-ab8a-ffbfa9460000","_type":"2f5a8339-a89a-3738-9cd2-3ddf0c8da574"}”>Video EmbedThe head of the National Institute on Drug Abuse issued a warning about the health risks of marijuana use and called for new research into the matter after a study showed that marijuana use among those 19 to 30 years old reached an all-time high in 2021.
Nora Volkow said that there was an “urgent need” for research into the long-term effects and benefits of marijuana use, such as its effect on brain development, while suggesting that legalization by states could add to the harmful perception that it is a “safe drug.”
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“The trends that we’ve found highlight the urgent need to gain a better understanding of the potential health risks and benefits of cannabis use among young adults,” Volkow said. “Brain development occurs into a person’s mid-20s, so cannabis use among youth and young adults is a concern.”
The number of young adults who reported marijuana use reached 43% in 2021, an increase from the 34% reported in 2016, according to a Monitoring the Future panel study published Monday. Daily marijuana intake, meaning using it on 20 or more occasions in the past 30 days, also reached the highest levels on record since it was first tracked in 1988.
Volkow attributed the rise in marijuana use to its legalization across states, arguing that it makes it more “appealing.” Nineteen states have legalized recreational marijuana in recent years, including Virginia, Maine, Massachusetts, and Oregon.
“[This] makes it more appealing to individuals who are concerned of engaging in illegal activities or activities that endanger their health,” Volkow told the outlet.
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The National Institute on Drug Abuse has previously pointed to several studies showing marijuana’s effects on brain development, including one from New Zealand that showed teenagers that used marijuana heavily lost an average of 8 IQ points between ages 13 and 38. An IQ, or intelligence quotient, is the total score of a set of standardized tests designed to assess one’s intelligence.
