Marijuana use increases throughout the calendar year, with use up 13 percent on average at the end of each year (2015-2019) compared to the beginning, according to a new study. The study was published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence.
“We found that marijuana use is consistently higher among those surveyed later in the year, peaking in late autumn or early winter before falling at the beginning of the year. We think this may be partly due to ‘Dry January’, in which some people stop drinking alcohol or even stop using marijuana as part of the New Year ‘s resolution. ‘Earth,’ said Joseph Palamar, PhD, MPH, associate professor of population health at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, a researcher affiliated with the Center for Drugs. HIV / HCV Use and Research (CDUHR) at NYU Global School of Public Health, and lead author of the study. “We’re now in the time of year when people are so inclined to use marijuana.” Preliminary research shows that alcohol and drug use varies with the time of year, with drug use often increasing during the summer months, possibly due in part to social events. These seasonal changes can inform interventions – for example, studies show that programs for reducing heavy drinking among college students should begin in the summer.
To better understand seasonal trends in marijuana use, Palamar and his colleagues analyzed data from 282,768 teens and adults who responded to the National Drug Use and Health Survey from 2015 to 2019. Asked the survey for participants about their previous use of marijuana and other substances, and the researchers estimated their use within each calendar quarter: January through March, April through June, July through September, and October through December. Each year, as the calendar year progressed, marijuana use grew, increasing in the summer and falling months before falling as each new year began. While 8.9 percent said they used marijuana in January through March, 10.1 percent said they used it in October through December, a comparable increase of 13 percent.
These seasonal trends occurred independently of annual growth in marijuana use and were evident across almost all groups surveyed, regardless of gender, race / ethnicity, and level of education. Teenagers were one exception; marijuana use grew in the summer but declined in the fall months back to winter and spring levels. Recreational use may be driving the growth during the year, as there has been a similar small increase among those living in states with and without legal medical marijuana, and among the those without medication for medical marijuana. Seasonal marijuana use also increased among those who reported using other substances, including alcohol, nicotine, and especially LSD.
The researchers note that the steady decline in marijuana use during the winter months may be due to a number of factors: lower supply at this time of year from cannabis harvests, colder weather keeping people indoors who usually smoke outside, or people quitting marijuana as a New Year’s Resolution. “Ultimately, we hope that these findings can be used by researchers and clinicians alike,” said study coauthor Austin Le, DDS, research associate at NYU Langone Health and resident orthodontic at NYU College of Dentistry. “Researchers studying marijuana use should consider seasonal variation, as studies administered at the end of the year may yield different results than at the beginning of the year. And for those who want to To reduce marijuana use, the best time for such targets seems to be later in the year – when usage is at its highest. “
(This story was not edited by Devdiscourse staff and is automatically extracted from syndicated feedings.)