Study Finds a Troubling Number of Young Adults Use Marijuana to Sleep
A recent study from the University of Michigan shows nearly one in five young adults use marijuana to sleep.
Consistent sleep is important for mental and physical health. While marijuana may help people fall asleep initially, research has found that marijuana is actually associated with poorer sleep quality overall. In particular, heavy marijuana use can disrupt normal sleep patterns, leading to insomnia and other sleep-related issues.
The University of Michigan’s annual Monitoring the Future Panel Study analyzed health data from 1,473 U.S. adults ages 19 to 30. Researcher found 18% reported using marijuana to sleep.
In particular, the study found women were nearly twice as likely as men to use marijuana to help fall asleep.
Researchers also raised concerns that using marijuana for sleep may lead to dependance and increased marijuana use — which is unhealthy.
A growing body of research shows that marijuana is harmful regardless of how or why people use it.
Marijuana has been tied to an increased risk for diabetes and a number of deadly heart problems — including heart attack, heart failure, and stroke. In fact, researchers now say marijuana use doubles a person’s risk of death from heart disease.
Experts also have found heavy marijuana use is strongly linked to a 325% increased risk of oral cancer.
In Arkansas, marijuana industry insiders worked unsuccessfully to expand marijuana via the state’s ballot initiative process in 2022 and 2024. Fortunately, neither of those bad measures passed.
All of this underscores what we have said for years: Marijuana may be many things, but “harmless” simply is not one of them.
Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.
