Last updated : December 16, 2024
Gen Z is known as a somewhat self-absorbed generation—not without good reason though. Parents were handing them iPhones when they were babies! And, they drooled over them—literally! But who cared? Our little geniuses were learning to navigate the devices with lightning speed. It left us marveling—and rushing out to keep them connected with the latest and greatest so they wouldn’t be left behind.
All that is well and good, but somewhere along the way, did living in excess take root as the norm for a host of them? A “Bigger is better!” or “We deserve nothing but the best!” type of mindset could lead some to make poor choices.
That’s carried over into their recreational drug of choice, as well, it seems. According to a 2021 survey, marijuana is strongly competing with alcohol as their number one recreational preference.
The reason for the switch
Alcohol has long been accepted socially, but drinks are costly. Moreover, the side effects that accompany drinking too much—an easy bridge to cross when caught up in the moment—such as vomiting in the restroom at the bar or waking with a hangover too cruel to bear, are extremely unattractive to the “what’s in it for me” crowd. We can’t say as we blame them there though.
Instead, young adults are opting for vaping cannabis oils, smoking a pre-roll, or ingesting some edibles when they’re hanging out with friends. Entrepreneurs in the field are already pitching “cannabis-infused” beverages to the alcohol industry. Could Gen Z be on the cusp of yet another amazing change in the realm of “norm?”
We should make sure they understand that cannabinoids aren’t water-soluble first. That means that the body barely absorbs them during the metabolization process. Should these products suddenly flood the market, people should research the companies before imbibing. We want to be certain as to what it is that’s causing that buzz.
Just saying.
Gen Z and the “harmless drug”
In addition to continuous advances in technology, Gen Z was raised during a time when a growing number of the population considered marijuana to be a harmless drug. Legalization was sure to come to pass one day and sure enough! It’s happening.
Recreational marijuana is legal now in twenty-five states across the nation with others sure to follow suit. The marijuana industry takes in billions of dollars each year. The potential revenue factor alone is a huge player in how some states will move forward regarding legalization in the future.
In the meantime, it seems the marijuana industry has grabbed onto the “bigger is better” mindset and, with the help of science, is cultivating marijuana with increasingly higher levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The “harmless drug” that the boomers partook of back in the day had levels that may have reached up to 4% if you could get your hands on it. Today, THC levels in marijuana flowers sold in dispensaries have levels upwards of 18%.
Moreover, concentrated by-products are growing in popularity among young adults. Marijuana plants are cooked down and processed to extract the THC. It’s then highly concentrated and used to make different products. These by-products can contain THC levels between fifty and up to ninety-nine percent!
Gen Z is under the assumption that marijuana is harmless because the people who taught them this philosophy were smoking pot or baking brownies using marijuana with THC levels of less than 10%. Somebody needs to tell these young people that rather than proving themselves as the generation who grabs onto the latest and greatest with gusto, in reality, they’re acting as human guinea pigs.
High-potency pot getting risky reviews
It just makes sense that increasing the levels of THC with the intent of human consumption should go hand in hand with studies that determine how much is too much. We know how much cocaine is too much. The same goes for methamphetamine, fentanyl, oxycontin, or any other illegal drug on the market. Fentanyl, which is found in virtually every illegal drug flooding into our country, only takes a few grams to become lethal. Sadly, we’re seeing the evidence of that every day as the overdose deaths continue to rage out of control.
There isn’t much research going on though. Certainly not by the companies hiring teams of scientists to work fervently to increase THC levels in their products. There’s no cap on THC levels at the state levels either even though we have no idea the effect higher doses will have on the human body.
There haven’t been any marijuana-related deaths reported yet. Still, evidence is stacking up that high-potency pot is adversely affecting some users. Many of them are teens and young adults.
Medical conditions that may result from high-potency marijuana include:
- Psychotic episodes that may become ongoing
- Cardiovascular damage resulting in increased risk of heart attack
- Decreased cognitive functioning and memory loss
- Conflicts with prescription meds
- Unknown potential of cannabis overdose and toxicity
Let’s clear the air
Just because something is made stronger with human consumption in mind, it doesn’t mean that it’s not going to harm you. Looking at the sales revenue projections would likely come closer to explaining the product’s true intent.
Explaining the difference in THC levels “then” and “now” should be enough to cause pause and reflection. Slowing our roll isn’t a sign of weakness, Gen Z. In this day and age, kids, it’s more so a case of self-preservation.
