GAMING INSTEAD? –
Nov. 10, 2023 – In 2021, 52 million people aged 12 and older in the US used cannabis, roughly 1 in 5 people in this age group. Those figures have been inching upwards over the last few decades – a fact that isn’t that surprising given the expanded access to legal (or quasi-legal) cannabis and a shift in attitudes towards the drug. The uptick in use, ease of access and increased social acceptability of the drug have some experts – and parents – worried, particularly about increased use among adolescents. That is with good reason: a growing body of evidence suggests cannabis use during adolescence may affect brain development, potentially increasing the risk for developing various mental health conditions or substance use disorders.
