Continued, frequent use of marijuana by middle and high school aged kids in the U.S. in combination with a reduction in perceptions of its risks, were seen in a new survey conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan. The survey, completed nationwide earlier in the year was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).
The new survey reveals that 6.5 percent of 12th graders smoke marijuana everyday, a higher number than the 5.1 percent recorded five years ago. Close to 23 percent documented that they smoked marijuana in the month preceding the survey, and more than 36 percent say they smoked it within the last year.
Among 10th graders, 3.5 percent admitted to smoking marijuana daily, while 17 percent said they used it in the last month and 28 percent said they used it in the last year. Leaving 8th grade, use rises, with only 1.1 percent admitting to daily use and 6.5 percent saying they used in the last month. Over 11 percent of 8th graders reported using marijuana in the last year.
This survey, named the Monitoring the Future survey, also established that teens’ views of marijuana’s risks ‘have dropped, which implies there will be a rise in use. Just 41.7 percent of 8th graders view intermittent use of marijuana as risky, while 66.9 percent view regular use as risky.
Both of these rates are at their lowest since the survey started tracking these topics in 1991. As adolescents age, their view of harm fades. Just 20.6 percent of high school seniors see sporadic use as dangerous (the lowest since 1983) and 44.1 percent see regular use as dangerous, the lowest since 1979.
Another study funded by the National Institute of Health, published this year in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, revealed that people who use marijuana frequently during their adolescence and continue use through adulthood showed a decrease in IQ between the ages of 13 and 38.
Those who excessively used cannabis earlier than 18 years of age (when the brain is still developing) exhibited impaired mental abilities even after stopping use of the drug. These results confirm previous studies that displayed a link between continued marijuana use and cognitive impairment.
The current survey’s outcomes are very similar to those of last year’s survey that said cigarette and alcohol consumption are the lowest they have been since 1975 among these three grade levels. NIDA Director Nora D. Volkow, M.D, explains:
“We are increasingly concerned that regular or daily use of marijuana is robbing many young people of their potential to achieve and excel in school or other aspects of life. THC, a key ingredient in marijuana, alters the ability of the hippocampus, a brain area related to learning and memory, to communicate effectively with other brain regions. In addition, we know from recent research that marijuana use that begins during adolescence can lower IQ and impair other measures of mental function into adulthood.”
The authors explain that research clearly emphasizes that cannabis has the possibility to create issues in daily life or make someone’s current problems worse.
Volkow says, “We should also point out that marijuana use that begins in adolescence increases the risk they will become addicted to the drug. The risk of addiction goes from about 1 in 11 overall to about 1 in 6 for those who start using in their teens, and even higher among daily smokers.”
Use of other illegal drugs among adolescents has shown a modest decline. During the past year illicit drug use was at its lowest rate for all three grades. One of the most noteworthy facts showed that during the last year Ecstasy use among 12th graders was at 3.8 percent, down from 5.3 percent.
Gil Kerlikowske, director of National Drug Control Policy said:
“Each new generation of young people deserves the chance to achieve its full potential, unencumbered by the obstacles placed in the way by drug use. These long term declines in youth drug use in America are proof that positive social change is possible. But now more than ever we need parents and other adult influencers to step up and have direct conversations with young people about the importance of making healthy decisions. Their futures depend on it.”
The survey also analyzes the abuse of drugs that are readily available to adolescents because they are legal, some only for adults (tobacco and alcohol), or over-the-counter prescription medications, or because the drugs are new and have not been made illegal yet. Many drugs abused by high school seniors are legal, making them easy to obtain.
This year’s survey measured teen use of a new drug known as “bath salts”. This drug contains an amphetamine-like stimulant and is often sold in drug paraphernalia shops. Data revealed a low use among high school seniors at 1.3 percent. Additionally, the survey looked at Salvia use, a hallucinogenic herb. Among the 10th and 12th grade populations, Salvia use fell to 4.4 percent from the previous year’s 5.9 percent.
In regards to synthetic marijuana use, the rates stayed steady at more than 11 percent for use in the last year among high school seniors. Inhalants continued on a downward trend. The survey revealed a past year rate of 6.2 percent among 8th graders, a dramatic drop from 2007 when the survey showed a 8.3 percent rate.
The data reveals a mixed result on prescription drug abuse. High school seniors documented non-medical use of Vicodin at a rate of 7.5 percent. They also reported use of the stimulant Adderall at a rate of 7.6 percent, increased from 5.4 percent in 2009. Also revealed was a reduced view of danger associated with using the drug. Most adolescents documented having access to prescription medications from family members that had them.
Over-the-counter cough and cold medications were reported as being abused at a rate of 5.6 percent among 12th graders, a continuous rate from previous studies.
Alcohol use showed a steady decline in 2012 with documented use at its lowest rate ever. Over 29 percent of 8th graders reported using alcohol sometime in their life, while for 10th graders, 54 percent reported using alcohol in their lifetime. Rates of binge drinking have decreased slightly for eighth graders.
Cigarette smoking is still at its lowest levels among all three grade levels with significant long-term improvement. Reductions were revealed among 8th graders down to 15.5 percent from last year’s 18.4 percent. Lifetime use of cigarettes also dropped among 10th graders. Cigarette use is still lower than marijuana use.
Howard K. Koh, M.D., M.P.H., assistant secretary for health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, concludes:
“We are very encouraged by the marked declines in tobacco use among youth. However, the documented use of non-cigarette tobacco products continues to be a concern. Preventing addiction includes helping kids be tobacco free so they can enjoy a fighting chance for health.”
Written by Kelly Fitzgerald