The community of LAC can be considered the main subject of this case if we focus on marijuana (MJ) consumption, as it is mostly done by young adults and adolescents. Los Angeles County is dynamic in that it combines people with many cultures and a wonderful culture. These events play a meaningful role in their tendency to be leading determinates of trends expressed in peoples’ behavior and become an essential item to deal with if drug or alcohol issues remain open questions. Results of the most recent data from the drug survey show that from 2008 to 2018, LAC has experienced a high increase in the uptake of the leader drug, especially among young adults and adults. Region of Los Angeles, with 13% of the youth population, 37.8% of young adults, and 14.8% of adults who reported having used marijuana at some point in the last year, the statistics of the past year are higher compared to the national average (Substance Abuse Prevention and Control, 2024). The health issue itself is somewhat discouraging as it shows that it is an upcoming health problem; hence, it is a big responsibility that should be handled immediately.
Analysis
Many reasons for the high rate of substance abuse, especially marijuana, among the LA County community have been identified. Social and cultural factors are important social determinants of augmented substance use in which the ethno-segregated and socioeconomically varied population harbors different attitudes towards drug use habits. Moreover, marijuana in mainstream culture and media might be a driving force for its widespread popularity among the youth and adult population of young age. Furthermore, the same environmental factors related to marijuana products, edibles, and concentrates may also contribute to an increase in consumption among the youth. This added legality of recreational marijuana in California in 2016 must have been instrumental in ensuring there are no challenges in getting the substance, hence, more use, especially among youths who perceive the drug as safe. From a theoretical side, addiction theories, including the biopsychosocial model, also strengthen the relationship between biological, psychological, and social constituents, which are the cornerstones of addictive behaviors.
Data from the California Poison Control System (CPCS) is a good example of how much legalization can affect marijuana-related exposure calls, with the number increasing dramatically in the period of legalization. The combination of marijuana edibles with their non-marijuana-themed packaging leads to a greater likelihood of accidental ingestion amongst the children, especially the small children. The condition enhanced with the increments in emergency department visits and hospitalizations arising from marijuana-related problems, which call for the severity of the situation. Initially, rates of marijuana ED visits were at their highest among young adults aged 18-20 years; it then started to be the same as those of adults aged 21-25 years (Substance Abuse Prevention and Control, 2024). With respect to marijuana usage in LAC, these elements could be meditated through genetic predispositions, peer influence as well as the stressors associated with city life.
Recommendations:
To solve the marijuana usage challenge within Los Angeles County, an all-inclusive approach has to be pursued, comprising individual, community, and social interventions. This includes the following:
- Education and Prevention Programs: Proper campaign of educational programs for the young and young to help raise the knowledge level of their peers about the risks of marijuana use and also listen to them on healthy coping strategies.
- Regulation and Enforcement: Formidable regulations on the length and the content of marijuana packages and marketing campaigns in order to shield underage access and the audience from the use of harmful products (Whitehill et al., 2019). Stricter regulations and enforcement to hinder illegal selling and trading.
- Treatment and Support Services: Roll out community-specific substance use disorder treatment programs with a varied scope to match the specific needs of various communities. Encourage culturally intelligent caregiving and take into account the social determinants of health that create the basis of well-being.
- Public Health Campaigns: Initiate in-depth media campaigns aimed at de-stigmatizing addiction as well as advocating for help-seeking behaviors and elimination of policies contradictory to the promotion of prevention and treatment of addiction.
References
Substance Abuse Prevention and Control. (2024). LA County Department of Public Health – Substance Abuse Prevention and Control – Data Reports and Briefs. Publichealth.lacounty.gov. http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/sapc/providers/data-reports-and-briefs.htm
Whitehill, J. M., Trangenstein, P. J., Jenkins, M. C., Jernigan, D. H., & Moreno, M. A. (2019). Exposure to Cannabis Marketing in Social and Traditional Media and Past-Year Use Among Adolescents in States With Legal Retail Cannabis. Journal of Adolescent Health, 66(2). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2019.08.024
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