After legalization, teen marijuana use drops sharply in Colorado

[yuiyoshida]

Teen marijuana use fell sharply in Colorado in the years 2014 and 2015, after the opening of that state's recreational marijuana market, new federal survey data show.

The state-level data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health showed that 18.35 percent of Coloradans ages 12 to 17 had used marijuana in the past year in 2014 or 2015, down sharply from 20.81 percent in 2013/2014. (In this survey, years are paired for state-level data to provide larger sample sizes). That works out to roughly a 12 percent drop in marijuana use, year-over-year.

Year-over-year teen marijuana use fell in most states during that time period, including in Washington, the other state to open recreational marijuana markets in 2014. But that drop wasn't statistically significant.

Conversely, adult marijuana use rose significantly in Colorado over the same time period. Among Coloradans ages 26 and older, past-year marijuana use rose from 16.80 percent in 2013/2014 to 19.91 percent in 2014/2015. Annual adult marijuana use was up in most states during the same time frame. The legal marijuana markets in Colorado, Washington and elsewhere feature strict age and purchasing limits.

This federal data released this week is the first clear evidence of a drop in teen marijuana use in Colorado following legalization. Legalization supporters have long argued that the best way to prevent underage marijuana use is to legalize and regulate the drug.

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/12/21/one-of-the-greatest-fears-about-legalizing-marijuana-has-so-far-failed-to-happen/?postshare=7341482588851970&tid=ss_tw&utm_term=.1530e01c65d2

[Warren DeMontague]

1. not terribly surprising. Like classic rock & mom jeans, if middle aged people are doing it

it loses some of its edginess, plus it no longer has the allure of the "forbidden".

And if it is channeled through the regulated market it is only sold to people who are 21 and over.

When I was in High School, in a state where it was still fully criminalized, it was always way easier to score weed than it was to score booze. Go figure.

Those of us who have been arguing for decades that legalization is sound public policy could have predicted this.

[dionysus]

2. adult marijuana use rose significantly in Colorado over the same time period.

Translation: "adults admitting they smoke marijuana rose significantly in Colorado over the same time period."

[beveeheart]

3. Many adults, including myself, switched from pain medications to

medical marijuana. I did not use marijuana before that.

[dionysus]

4. What type of pain whas it, if you don't mind me asking? When i had bad sciatic

Issues, i went from terrible agony, to be being stoned in terrible agony l. I have much better luck with herb for nausea or headaches than i did back pain. But theres different types of pain...

[beveeheart]

5. Osteoarthritis of left hip.

I was in such pain that I had to use a walker. MM helped a lot. I only used edibles and would be asleep by the time the stoned phase would kick in.

[dionysus]

6. Interesting. Glad it helps! I've found edibles to be much more

long acting than smoking... when i have stomachbflarr ups ot helps quite a bit.

Last time i accidentally ate 4 cookies when i was supposed to have 2... whoops! Xmas turned oit to be a fun day...

[beveeheart]

7. I've accidentally eaten more than needed and don't want

to do that again!

[dionysus]

8. When i was younger there was no such thing as too stoned!

Therebis now!