Marijuana and Hallucinogen Use by Young Adults Reached All-Time High in 2021: Study

Mar. 15, 2025

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Marijuana and hallucinogen use hit an all-time high in 2021 among young adults, according to a new study.

And 8% of young adults reported using hallucinogens such as LSD, MDMA, and PCP in 2021, while 5% of people reported using them in 2016.

She continued, “Young adults are in a critical life stage and honing their ability to make informed choices. Understanding how substance use can impact the formative choices in young adulthood is critical to help position the new generations for success.”

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Vaping is on the rise as well. The study found that nicotine vaping use rose to nearly 16% in 2021, compared to 6% in 2017, when the behavior was first recorded.

Health officials claim prolonged use of vaping chemicalscan cause chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which is a permanent condition that lessens lung effectiveness in transporting oxygen.

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The pandemic is one explanation for the all-time high records. “Monitoring the Future and similar large-scale surveys on a consistent sample population allow us to assess the effects of ‘natural experiments’ like the pandemic,” said Megan Patrick, Ph.D., a research professor at the University of Michigan and principal investigator of the study,. “We can examine how and why drugs are used and highlight critical areas to guide where the research should go next and to inform public health interventions.”

source: people.com