Monday, October 14, 2024

Teen Marijuana Consumption Continues To Drop Especially Where It’s Legal, Go Figure

A new survey by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment showed that in 2021 young people were 35% less likely to use marijuana compared to prior years.

By Jelena Martinovic

A decline in young people’s use of marijuana and other controlled substances seems to be a rising trend, as confirmed by yet another government-funded study.

After Michigan’s annual Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey showed an unprecedented year-over-year decline in 8th-graders, 10th-graders and 12th-graders, Coloradans followed suit.

teens
Photo by RODNAE Productions from Pexels

RELATED: Is Teen Weed Interest Waning As It Becomes Legal? New Survey Provides Interesting Insights

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s (CDPHE) Healthy Kids Colorado Survey’s results showed that in 2021 young people were 35% less likely to use marijuana compared to prior years.

The significant drop in use for high school students over the past two years is a part of a broader trend that dates back to 2013 when the department’s biennial survey got underway, cannabis advocates say, attributing it to regulated access for adults that then minimizes the risk of adolescent marijuana use.

According to the CDPHE’s report, only 13% of surveyed students said they’ve used cannabis over the past month, versus almost 20% in 2013.

To that end, a recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that marijuana legalization laws are not associated with increased use among high school students.

vaping
Photo by Ruslan Alekso via Pexels

RELATED: Cannabis Vaping Among Teens Higher Than Ever, Especially Among High School Seniors

“Consistent with estimates from prior studies, there was little evidence that [recreational marijuana laws] or [medical marijuana laws] encourage youth marijuana use,” reads the paper.

Moreover, a previous paper that used data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) for the period 1993-to 2017 found that marijuana adoption was associated with an 8% decrease in the odds of marijuana use among high school students.

This article originally appeared on Benzinga and has been reposted with permission.

MUST READ

The Best Florida Cocktail Recipes

The sunshine state is legendary for sun, fun and drinks.  Enjoy the best Florida cocktail recipes.

MORE BY THIS AUTHOR

EVALI Could be Caused By Weed With THC-O Acetate

Products with THC-O acetate, which is believed to be three times more potent than delta-9 THC, are being advertised online and sold on the black market. 

Don't Miss Your Weekly Dose of The Fresh Toast.

Stay informed with exclusive news briefs delivered directly to your inbox every Friday.

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe anytime.