Jan. 31, 2023 -- Teenagers used marijuana less in the first year of the pandemic, a new study shows, while adult use of cannabis, illegal drugs and alcohol stayed the same or increased. Among kids 13 to 15, cannabis use fell 3.4% in 2020 compared to 2018 and 2019; tobacco use fell 4%; and the use of other illegal or misused prescription drugs declined 2.5%. For teens 16 and 17, marijuana use fell 7.3%; tobacco use by more than 10% and misuse by almost 3 points. “I think availability plays a big part,” said Joseph Palamar, an associate professor of population health at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, who was not involved in the study, on CNN.com. “If high schoolers are separated from their friends for a long time and stuck inside, they’ll likely have decreased access to drugs.

Source: CNN January 31, 2023 22:20 UTC