Marijuana Use Among US Teens Dropped Sharply Over Past Decade, Finds Study

A new study found that marijuana use among U.S. teenagers fell over the past decade. The researchers found that by 2021, only about 16% of teens said they were currently using marijuana, down from 23% in 2011, according to a report in US News. The study was published in the journal Pediatric Reports. The study further says that all grades witnessed a notable decline in current marijuana/ weed use, particularly the ninth graders.

Also, the percentage of kids who tried weed for the first time prior to age 13 also notably declined, sinking to about 5% in 2021 from 8% in 2011. The results of the study show that weed use is most prevalent among high school seniors and juniors, with around 1 in 5 reporting regular use, 22% and 19% respectively.

Panagiota Kitsantas, chair of population health and social medicine with Florida Atlantic University’s Schmidt College of Medicine and senior researcher said, “While we observed an overall decline from 2011 to 2021 across all grades, older students consistently reported higher usage, particularly 12th graders.

“This suggests that as adolescents advance through high school, they may have greater access to marijuana, influenced by more developed peer networks and increased independence.”

In a news release, Kinsantas added, “This trend highlights the need for targeted interventions aimed at older adolescents, who are at a greater risk of regular marijuana use.”

The study also found that girls now are taking more weed than boys which is a significant shift from a decade ago. About 18% of teenage girls reported current weed use in 2021, compared with just under 14% of boys, researchers found. That’s a switch from 2011 when 26% of boys used weed compared with 20% of girls.

Researchers also found that Black teenagers were most likely to be using marijuana, about 21% compared to 15% of whites, 17% of Hispanic teens and 5% of Asian teens.

For the study, researchers analyzed data on more than 88,000 U.S. teens gathered as part of the federal Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which is conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Dr Charles Hennekens, a professor of medicine and preventive medicine at Florida Atlantic University and researcher said, “In the U.S., the current landscape of marijuana legalization in adults adds a complex layer to the issues of adolescent marijuana use.

“As more states continue to legalize recreational marijuana, the accessibility and perceived normalcy of the drug may increase, particularly for adolescents who may view its legal status as an indication of safety or acceptability.”

Hennekens in a university news release added, “Research suggests that marijuana legalization in adults can influence adolescent behaviour through their perceptions of less risk as well as increased availability, both of which may impede efforts to reduce adolescent use.”

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