Youth Drinking, Pot Use Went Down During Pandemic

The following is excerpted from an online article posted by MedicalXpress.

The COVID-19 pandemic changed kids' lives in many respects, and sometimes for the better. Pot use, drinking, smoking, and vaping all fell among U.S. youth, likely because they had to spend more time at home and less time with their friends, researchers say.

The findings are based on an analysis of 49 studies.

"One of the driving factors for youth substance use is access to substances," said study co-author Hannah Layman, a social and behavioral sciences doctoral student at West Virginia University.

"With stay-at-home orders, virtual schooling, and social distancing, children have been spending more time with family and are more socially isolated from peers than before. Although social isolation from peers may have a negative impact on their mental health, it may just be one of the desirable outcomes of the pandemic when considering substance use in children," Layman explained in a university news release.

The study results were published in the journal Current Psychiatry Reports.

Source: HealthDay
https://consumer.healthday.com/b-6-16-youth-drinking-pot-use-went-down-during-pandemic-2657501445.html