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9% of Teens Smoke Pot Hundreds of Times a Year

Up from 5% of teens who used pot 20+ times a month in 2008

By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff

Posted May 2, 2012 9:01 AM CDT

(Newser) – Teens' use of hard drugs like cocaine and meth has stabilized recently, but more are smoking marijuana—and more frequently. A new report finds that 9% teens smoked pot 20 or more times per month in 2011, up from 5% in 2008. "Parents are talking about cocaine and heroin, things that scare them," says the president of The Partnership at Drugfree.org, which ran the survey. "Parents are not talking about prescription drugs and marijuana," and though use of the former is slowing, it still remains high.

More from the AP:

  • Of those surveyed, 27% had used pot in the past month, compared to just 19% in 2008.
  • Those who smoked marijuana regularly were also much more likely to use ecstasy, cocaine, or crack.
  • One in 10 teens said they had used prescription pain pills in the past year, down from a 2009 peak of 15%.
The report echoes findings from another recent study.

More teens are smoking pot, a new survey finds.
More teens are smoking pot, a new survey finds.   (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 152 comments
CentristIntelligence
May 2, 2012 9:10 PM CDT
  "Parents are not talking about prescription drugs and marijuana," these two things should NEVER be put in the same sentence. they are nowhere NEAR similar.
myflap.blow
May 2, 2012 5:08 PM CDT
those of you who adhere to the scant studies that show a negative reflection don't realize there are millions and millions of successful life-long studies going on all the time. Only, all these positive results have to be kept on the down-low because of the evil connotations placed on smokers. (that motive is another whole story) But now, the only angle they have left is the children. OF COURSE children shouldn't smoke pot. Or drink booze or smoke cigarettes or steal their parents prescriptions. So you can QUIT with the argument already. Kids will do it anyhow. You might as well rail against daredevil stunts or taking training wheels off. Of course we want our kids safe, but only a retard would persist with the sole moronic argument that it hurts kids. So thanks anyway for the stats! I suppose you can read em with whichever slant suits you. Either- oh no! It's so terrible that more teens are smoking pot! Or- isn't it great that the manipulated, oppressed plebs are waking up earlier and earlier.
Jeffrey-Lebowski
May 2, 2012 2:50 PM CDT
Go out on any playground and you will see small children spinning in circles until they can't walk straight and fall down. That is everyones first buzz, and humans are wired to change their consciousness. I would prefer teens wait till their twenties, but we know that's not going to happen. If my daughter would have asked me, I would have told her marijuana over alcohol in a flash. BTW she doesn't use either and is in pre-med on her way to being a Radiologist. Those numbers seem waaaaay too low. I don't advocate teens using, but it's the safest choice. As far as adults go, I agree with Rosanne Barr, "Not only should weed be legal, it should be mandatory."
Health • US

 
marijuana • cannabis • pot • pot smoking • dope

 
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