These are the main reasons young people consume marijuana, according to a study

MADRID, (EUROPA PRESS) – Social pressure and social networks are some of the main reasons why teenagers start using cannabis, according to data from the ESTUDES survey on alcohol and other drug use, included in the study ‘Perception of cannabis use in adolescents: meta-synthesis of qualitative studies’.

Cannabis is the most popular illegal substance among the 14-18 year-old population in Spain. 26.9 percent of adolescents say they have used this substance at least once in their lives and 1.3 percent admit to doing so daily. Its use at this age is a serious public health problem, and is associated with mental health problems, memory and learning problems, poor academic performance, increased consumption of other drugs and delinquency.

The article, published in ‘Gaceta Sanitaria’, analyses 22 studies carried out in eleven countries between 2000 and 2024 to try to identify the reasons behind this consumption and the risk perceived by young people, with the aim of “developing health and educational policies aimed at preventing cannabis use” in adolescents.

Among the main reasons for consumption, the influence of external factors such as social pressure stands out; many adolescents “admitted to being afraid of marginalization and feeling excluded if they did not smoke cannabis,” the researchers pointed out in the study. In addition, the consumption of this substance in the family environment, by older siblings or mothers and fathers, is a major promoting factor.

The publication of photographs or videos on social media showing young people or artists consuming cannabis was identified as “factors that contribute to consumption”, as well as making it “more attractive” and generating “a perception of reduced risk”. The ease of acquiring this substance is another reason why teenagers begin to consume it.

Many teenagers mention in the studies that cannabis use gives them a feeling of social and emotional well-being, helps them relax, reduces stress, makes worries and fears disappear and gives them pleasure. In general terms, young people believe that sporadic use does not entail serious health risks, since “it is not perceived as a hard drug” and that it is “less harmful to health than drugs in general and tobacco in particular, because it is considered more natural and contains fewer chemical substances,” he noted in the article.

“It is essential that we provide young people with the tools they need to manage stress and negative emotions in a healthy way,” the study said. To do so, environments that support their emotional and social well-being must be created through collaboration between parents, educators and public policy makers who carry out a comprehensive strategy, as well as promoting the dissemination of knowledge and information about the risks of consuming harmful substances.