Binge Drinking and Marijuana Use , at Record Levels Among , Middle-Aged Adults, Study Finds.
'The New York Times' reports that a new study found
that 2022 saw a record amount of binge drinking
among adults between the ages of 35 and 50.
According to the study by the National
Institutes of Health, nearly 30% of people in this
age group reported binge drinking in 2022. .
That number is up from 23% in 2021,
continuing a consistent upward trend. .
Similarly, marijuana use in this age group
has also reached historical levels, with 28%
reporting the habit, up from just 13% in 2012.
The same survey also looked at the behaviors among
adults 19 to 30 years old, finding that marijuana use had
risen from 28% in 2012 to reach 44% just ten years later.
Over the same period, binge drinking
among 19- to 30-year-olds fell from
35.2% in 2012 to hit 30.5% in 2022.
Drug use trends evolve over
decades and across development,
from adolescent to adulthood, Megan Patrick, research professor at the University of Michigan
and principal investigator on the study, via 'The New York Times'.
It’s important to track
this so that public health
professionals and communities
can be prepared to respond, Megan Patrick, research professor at the University of Michigan
and principal investigator on the study, via 'The New York Times'.
'NYT' reports that another recent study
found that alcohol-related deaths continue
to rise among people 65 and older.
We want to ensure that people from
the earliest to the latest stages in
adulthood are equipped with
up-to-date knowledge to help inform
decisions related to substance abuse, Nora Volkow, Director of the National Institutes
of Drug Abuse (NIDA), via 'The New York Times'
