Adolescence and Marijuana among American Teenagers

On April 30, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) under the U.S. Department of Justice proposed removing marijuana from the U.S. federal list of the most dangerous drugs, moving it to a less regulated and lower-risk level, and recommended recognizing the medical use of marijuana. The proposal has been submitted to the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and is being finalized through the rulemaking process. “Reuters” stated that this policy may be the largest change in the U.S. federal government’s cannabis policy since 1976.

Most American teenagers do not believe regular marijuana use is harmful.

Sarah Y. Vinson, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, said some teens smoke marijuana because it’s the only “drug” they have access to. For some teens, marijuana helps them deal with the emotional mental “pain” of adolescence, just as alcohol numbs the physical pain. Over the past decade, marijuana use among Americans ages 12 and older has increased from 11.6% to 17.9%. This trend is likely to continue, as less negative views of a substance among teens are associated with increased use. Finally, recent shifts in U.S. federal criminal justice policy toward decriminalizing marijuana possession may contribute to these trends.

U.S. cannabis companies aren’t giving up on the teen market.

The “North American Cannabis Technology Market Size, Share and Trend Analysis Report” released by GlobeNewswire on August 6, 2024 shows that the North American cannabis technology market size is expected to reach US$71.07 billion from 2024 to 2030, with a compound annual growth rate from 2024 to 2030. 28.3%, American teenagers’ increasing acceptance of marijuana, attracting more and more domestic and foreign companies to enter the field of cannabis technology (CannaTech), and they will not give up to seize the opportunity and take advantage of the growing demand for marijuana among American teenagers.