Alcohol and cannabis use in adolescence has been normalized in our society. Use of these things is not necessarily a new thing, but in the past it was seen as much more taboo. Now we have a society that makes it a normal thing. Today, it can be seen as progressive or harmful, depending how you see it.
Peer pressure has a huge influence on teenagers. A study by the National Library of Medicine found that teens are the most susceptible to the influence of peers their age rather than any other age group. Many social events involve alcohol such as parties where people may be under the influence and not making smart decisions. Teens often view their peers consuming alcohol, normalizing the activity and influencing their decisions on their own consumption.
Teenagers are also exposed to drinking on social media apps like TikTok. Many influencers make money off of showcasing the “party life” where they go to parties and show themselves having fun and usually drinking. jillzfoodz_ is an influencer on TikTok who shows her two daughters, both teenagers, going out to parties and drinking. She records and posts videos of herself finding alcohol in their rooms and catching them drunk, which she earns money from. Seeing influencers doing these things on social media can normalize the party life for teenagers.
Alcohol consumption during teenage years can cause long term harm to the brain. A teenage brain is still maturing and developing, mostly growing self-control and decision making skills. Alcohol can interrupt your brain development and can lead to impaired memory, difficulty learning new things, and non-logical decision making. Consumption of alcohol in your adolescence can increase your chances of addiction later in life, which can lead to other substance use such as cannabis.
Cannabis consumption has been adapted to the culture we live in, dispensaries make things bright colors, fun names, and appealing to a younger eye. Cannabis can be sold at dispensaries, or for pharmaceutical use, or illegally, and daily use is a huge part of many people’s lives. It used to be viewed as a very taboo substance but now it’s normalized and accepted as a society. Cannabis is legal in 39 of the 50 states for medical use and 24 states for recreational use.
The physical effects that cannabis has on your body include heart disease, cancer, stroke, gum disease, and many more. Cannabis can also take a toll on your mental health. Using cannabis as an adolescent can cause decreasing ability to concentrate, solve problems, learn, coordinate, react quickly, and can increase the chances of memory issues later on in life.
Alcohol consumption and cannabis use are so normalized in our day-to-day lives. Most people do not see the dangers that they have while currently in use and the effects that they can have on their body and mind in the long term.
