Marijuana use among youth remains stable, despite low perceived risk

Although the majority of youth in the United States do not perceive a great risk from marijuana use, marijuana use rates remained stable from 2012 to 2014, according to recent findings.

“Research has indicated that there are health risks associated with youth marijuana use, including poorer education/employment outcomes, poorer cognitive outcomes, increased likelihood of vehicle crashes, and increased addiction risk,” researchers wrote. “Even though research indicates that youth marijuana use is a health risk, nationally only one in five adolescents perceived great risk from monthly marijuana use in 2014, which is lower than in any other year from 2002 to 2013. Preventing adolescents from starting to use marijuana is an effective way to reduce the impact of marijuana use in the future.”

To assess adolescents’ attitudes about marijuana-associated risks, researchers analyzed 2013 to 2014 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) estimates of past month marijuana use and perceptions of greater risk of harm from monthly marijuana use among youth aged 12 to 17 years. They also compared recent data with 2012 to 2013 NSDUH data to assess changes in use and perception.

Researchers found that marijuana use remains widespread among adolescents, with few changes in rates of marijuana use across states from 2012 to 2014.

In 2013 to 2014, approximately 75% of adolescents did not think there was great risk in using marijuana.

Fourteen states experienced decreases in the percentage of youth who perceived great risk of harm from marijuana use.

Despite this, marijuana use rates have remained stable in almost every state, according to researchers.

“Across the nation in 2013 to 2014, approximately 1.8 million adolescents were past-month marijuana users, and about three-fourths of adolescents across all states did not think there was great risk of harm from using marijuana,” the researchers wrote. “Highlighting the prevalence of adolescent marijuana use and attitudes toward use at the state level may help state and local prevention specialists in their efforts to raise awareness about marijuana use among youths and its consequences. As states continue to examine their laws regarding marijuana use, monitoring state-level trends in adolescent marijuana use and attitudes toward use may also help state and local policymakers plan for and allocate resources to address adolescent marijuana use.”

Reference:

Hughes A, et al. The CBHSQ Report: state estimates of adolescent marijuana use and perceptions of risk of harm from marijuana use: 2013 and 2014. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality.

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.