from JAMA Pediatrics
Surprise! Alcohol use by college-age
Americans has declined over the last
sixteen years. At least that finding
surprised authors at the University of
Michigan and Texas State University.
Their report in JAMA Pediatrics found
college-age people who abstained from
alcohol rose from twenty to twenty-eight
percent. The number of young people—in
college or not—who abused alcohol
decreased by about one-half. Authors say
they were encouraged by decreases in
alcohol use and misuse. However, their
study also showed the number of young
adults using marijuana increased, as did
the number who co-used marijuana and
alcohol. They say using more than one
substance can have more negative
consequences and more difficult to treat.