With recreational cannabis now legal in Delaware for adults 21 and older, it’s a good time to examine how teens and young adults are interacting with controlled substances.

National studies show that Gen Z is less likely to use alcohol and weed than previous generations. Gen Z drinks, on average, 20% less than millennials, who also drink less than the previous generation, according to Forbes, which cites an increased awareness of the dangers of alcohol and higher prevalence of healthy lifestyles. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey notes a steady decline in alcohol use among high school students between 2011 and 2021 (39% to 23% who had consumed alcohol in the past 30 days). Cannabis use dropped from 23% to 16% during that span.

Data affirms these trends are unfolding in Delaware, too. The percentage of high school students who said they had their first alcoholic drink before age 13 decreased from nearly 32% in 1999 to 13% in 2021, according to a survey administered by the University of Delaware’s Center for Drug and Health Studies.

“If you look at the past 20-plus years, the trends are down, so that’s good news,” says Aileen Fink, Ph.D., who heads the Prevention and Behavioral Health Division at the state’s Department of Services for Children, Youth & Their Families. “But while the overall trend in use is down, perception of great risk [associated with substance use] is also down.”

In 1999, 50% of high school juniors and 60% of eighth graders said smoking cannabis habitually carries great risk. Last year, 26% and 33%, respectively, shared the same sense of danger about weed.

Alcohol and cannabis are virtually neck-and-neck among Delaware teens, with 17% of juniors reporting recent use of either substance in 2023. And while students’ perception of risk around alcohol hasn’t wavered much, weed carries health risks of its own.

“Studies have demonstrated that cannabis use, especially early and heavy use, can be harmful to developing brains and is associated with…poor mental health outcomes later in life…things like depression, anxiety, things of that nature,” says Jahan Marcu, Ph.D., a consultant to the Delaware Office of the Marijuana Commissioner. “The concern is the earlier you start and the heavier your use, the more that increases your risks of having health issues later in life. Especially, I would add, if it’s products from the illicit market,” Marcu says.

Vaping and e-cigarettes are touted as safer alternatives to smoking and are modestly popular among Delaware teenagers: 9% of juniors reported vaping in 2023, along with 5% of eighth graders.

“With smoking, the particulate matter in the smoke really is hard on your pulmonary and cardiovascular system,” Marcu says. “The heart and lungs have to work harder to deal with you breathing in smoke.”

A good quality vaporizer, he points out, can decrease exposure to chemicals created by combusted material like carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. “But you have to also remember that not all the devices are created equal,” Marcu adds. “Some are very crude and some are more advanced.”

Know Someone Who Needs Help?

• Prevention Helpline: 633-2680
• Prevention services map, searchable by county
• Information for caregivers and other concerned adults
• To see if a child is eligible for treatment services, parents and guardian can contact 633-2571 or 800-722-7710 or email.

Related: 6 Common Health Issues Impacting Delaware’s 50-Plus Community