{"id":37339,"date":"2024-11-27T08:00:56","date_gmt":"2024-11-27T13:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.veriheal.com\/blog\/?p=37339"},"modified":"2025-09-25T05:29:52","modified_gmt":"2025-09-25T09:29:52","slug":"cannabis-across-life-early-adulthood","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.veriheal.com\/blog\/cannabis-across-life-early-adulthood\/","title":{"rendered":"Cannabis Across Life: Early Adulthood"},"content":{"rendered":"

As we progress through our lives into early adulthood, cannabis becomes a more widely accepted facet of life. In 2023, an astounding <\/span>26% of young American adults<\/span><\/a> aged 18-34 reported smoking cannabis. By now, 50% of adults admit to trying it, and 70% of Americans support the legalization of cannabis \u2013 the highest number ever.<\/span><\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re taking cannabis for medical purposes, dual med-rec use, bonding with friends, or simply unwinding at the end of a long day, adult therapeutic use takes many practical forms. Likewise, <\/span>cannabis products<\/span><\/a> also take various forms to suit your lifestyle and preferences, including <\/span>non-impairing hemp products<\/span><\/a> and plenty of <\/span>non-smoking options<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Cannabis empowers you to live your <\/span>physically active<\/span><\/a> and busy life in balance with wellness and self-care in mind.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Cannabis Use in Early Adulthood<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Medical and recreational cannabis use are both therapeutic in some way. However, depending on the goals and intentions set, people still often tend to identify as one of these consumer types.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To your body, medical and recreational cannabis are one and the same.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As a society, we\u2019ve come a long way towards accepting that the therapeutic uses of cannabis extend beyond purely medically-focused needs or the authorization of a healthcare provider. These matters are still important and will always be in cannabis medicine, but they\u2019re less critical as legal landscapes and public perception co-evolve.<\/span><\/p>\n

Recreational vs. Medical<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In modern early adulthood, people become more open and less concerned about the stigma or perception of simply embracing nonmedical or \u201crecreational\u201d cannabis use. When nonmedical cannabis was legalized in Canada, <\/span>about 1 in 4<\/span><\/a> medical cannabis patients moved towards identifying as either dual-users or even exclusively nonmedical. This highlights the absurdity of the divide.<\/span><\/p>\n

I often see this internal conflict reflected in my clinical encounters. Sometimes, patients feel self-conscious about telling me they like the uplifting and euphoric side effects of their cannabis treatment plan, or that a large part of it is just to relax or help them fall asleep, worried if it\u2019s \u201cenough\u201d to justify their cannabis use (it is).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sadly, Western medicine makes patients haggle for preferred treatments, so I understand this sentiment. But I love to reassure my adult patients that it\u2019s okay to enjoy your cannabis \u2013 you should!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Cannabis providers want you to have healing, positive experiences that come from benefits outweighing harms. Whichever camps you choose to join, we just want to be sure the rest of your health, social, and work life aren\u2019t negatively affected by it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Recreational Use<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Managing life, home, work, family, and social stressors can be tough, especially all at the same time. Even people who use cannabis \u201cnon-medically\u201d are actually consuming it for a lot of the same symptoms and therapeutic purposes medical patients employ, such as:<\/span><\/p>\n