The Rise of Teen Marijuana Use

As one of the most commonly used recreational drugs in the U.S., marijuana on university campuses is often perceived by students as one of the more benign aspects of the college social experience.

However, a recent study completed by researchers at the University of Michigan uncovered a troubling trend: in 2016, the rate of college students who reported using marijuana was the highest it had been in the past 30 years, and the data confirmed the trend continued into 2017.

The study found that 38 percent of college students surveyed confirmed they’d used marijuana at least once in the past year, and 21 percent confirmed using it in the past month. These numbers still stand as the highest confirmed rates of marijuana use by college students since 1987. The startling rise begs interpretation of the data.

So, what factors account for such a swift, dramatic rise?

Motivators Behind Marijuana’s Popularity

An article in the University of Michigan’s news source elaborates on a possible explanation that the original study explored, showing how researchers found quantitative evidence indicating that marijuana is not generally perceived as dangerous. Only 30 percent of students questioned in 2016 reported regular marijuana use as remarkably harmful, one of the lowest levels reported in the past 30 years.

Additional explanations that could account for the increase include strict laws in the U.S. around the purchase and consumption of alcohol, which makes marijuana easier to obtain for students under the age of 21. Drinking and drug use on college campuses is also relatively commonplace and widely accepted, exacerbated further by the high-pressure environment that comes with the importance placed on academic achievement. With the variety of possible contributors, it’s important to consider college students’ motives behind resorting to drug use, which can be a predictor of future problems.

For example, one study suggests young people may also use marijuana to feel good, ease boredom, relieve tension or frustration, seek deeper insights, escape problems, or to manipulate the effects of other drugs.

In this study, researchers examined the participants again when they reached age 35. The results showed that students who had reported experimentation as the primary motivator for trying marijuana had lesser instances of substance abuse and problems later on. Subjects who reported using marijuana as a means to relax or cope with a larger problem were positively correlated with greater instances of developing addictions and additional problems later in life.

Why Marijuana Use Trends Matter

While the studies show definitive proof of this increase in marijuana use, another question arises: how damaging can marijuana use really be for a teen’s growth and development?

A study from the Social Science Journal assessed the relationship between current college students who report using alcohol and marijuana. The anonymous online survey was conducted at a medium-sized university and found that students who reported higher levels of alcohol and marijuana use also reported lower GPAs on average, leading researchers to suggest there is likely a correlative relationship between students who partake in recreational marijuana use and don’t perform well academically.

Multiple research reports have also confirmed concerning effects of marijuana on the developing brain. The scientific community hypothesizes that the development of the human brain, particularly the part that governs rational thinking and decision-making, often hasn’t reached full maturation until the mid-20’s, or even early 30’s.

As a result, this could provide a possible explanation for why students who decide against marijuana use in college generally perform better academically than their peers, as it can cause short-term memory loss and inhibit brain processes required for studying and retaining large quantities of information.

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