Teens' views on dangers of pot fall to 20-year low
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Teenagers' perception of the dangers of marijuana has fallen to the lowest level in more than 20 years, a new study says, prompting federal researchers to warn that already high use of the drug could increase as more states move to legalize it.
The annual survey released Wednesday by the National Institutes of Health found that only 41.7 percent of eighth graders believe that occasional use of marijuana is harmful, while 66.9 percent regard it as dangerous when used regularly. Both rates are the lowest since 1991, when the government first began tracking this age group.
Teens' perception of marijuana risks diminished even more as they got older. About 20.6 percent of 12th graders said that occasional use of pot is harmful. Roughly 44.1 percent believed that its regular use was detrimental, the lowest rate since 1979.
The government-sponsored study said teens' dwindling concerns about the dangers of marijuana, despite the risks, "can signal future increases in use."
"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," said Dr. Nora D. Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, which is part of NIH. She said teens are influenced by whether a drug is legal in some form when deciding to try it recreationally, so in states where marijuana is sanctioned, "the deterrent is no longer present."
Volkow cited recently published research showing that people who used marijuana heavily before age 18 had impaired mental abilities even after they quit using the drug. Those who used cannabis heavily in their teens and into their adulthood showed a significant drop in IQ between the ages of 13 and 38, according to the studies.
"Marijuana use that begins in adolescence increases the risk they will become addicted to the drug," she said.
The findings come after Washington state and Colorado voted last month to legalize marijuana and regulate its recreational use, boosted by the strong support of younger voters. While the new laws apply only to adults over 21, the broader effort by states to decriminalize pot use and push the drug toward public legitimacy could confuse the picture for teens.
President Barack Obama said last week that the federal government won't go after pot users in Colorado and Washington state who are legal under their state laws, even though federal law officially bans marijuana possession. Eighteen states and the District of Columbia also have laws in place to regulate the medical use of marijuana.
"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," said White House drug czar Gil Kerlikowske on Wednesday.
According to the federal survey, marijuana use among teenagers remained stuck at high levels in 2012.
Roughly 6.5 percent of 12th graders smoked marijuana daily, up from 5.1 percent in 2007.
Nearly 23 percent of the high-school seniors said they smoked the drug in the month prior to the survey, while 36.4 percent used it in the past year. About 45.2 percent reported they had tried marijuana at least once in their lifetime.
Daily marijuana use by 10th graders climbed from 2.8 percent to 3.5 percent, and for eighth-grade students it edged up from 0.8 percent to 1.1 percent.
On other topics the survey found:
• Use of illicit drugs other than marijuana was at a low for eighth-, 10th- and 12th-grade students.
• In the past year, about 1.3 percent of 12th graders used "bath salts," a new synthetic drug which mimics the effect of cocaine.
• In terms of prescription drug abuse, about 7.6 percent of 12th graders in the past year used Adderall, a stimulant prescribed to treat ADHD. That's up from 5.4 percent in 2009, coinciding with a decline in teens' perceptions of the harm in using the drug. Teen abuse of over-the-counter cough and cold medicines containing dextromethorphan held steady.
• Reported alcohol use continued to steadily decline, falling to the lowest level on record.
The survey, conducted by the University of Michigan for NIH, covered more than 45,000 students in the eighth, 10th and 12th grades in 395 schools.
The annual survey released Wednesday by the National Institutes of Health found that only 41.7 percent of eighth graders believe that occasional use of marijuana is harmful, while 66.9 percent regard it as dangerous when used regularly. Both rates are the lowest since 1991, when the government first began tracking this age group.
Teens' perception of marijuana risks diminished even more as they got older. About 20.6 percent of 12th graders said that occasional use of pot is harmful. Roughly 44.1 percent believed that its regular use was detrimental, the lowest rate since 1979.
The government-sponsored study said teens' dwindling concerns about the dangers of marijuana, despite the risks, "can signal future increases in use."
"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," said Dr. Nora D. Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, which is part of NIH. She said teens are influenced by whether a drug is legal in some form when deciding to try it recreationally, so in states where marijuana is sanctioned, "the deterrent is no longer present."
Volkow cited recently published research showing that people who used marijuana heavily before age 18 had impaired mental abilities even after they quit using the drug. Those who used cannabis heavily in their teens and into their adulthood showed a significant drop in IQ between the ages of 13 and 38, according to the studies.
"Marijuana use that begins in adolescence increases the risk they will become addicted to the drug," she said.
The findings come after Washington state and Colorado voted last month to legalize marijuana and regulate its recreational use, boosted by the strong support of younger voters. While the new laws apply only to adults over 21, the broader effort by states to decriminalize pot use and push the drug toward public legitimacy could confuse the picture for teens.
President Barack Obama said last week that the federal government won't go after pot users in Colorado and Washington state who are legal under their state laws, even though federal law officially bans marijuana possession. Eighteen states and the District of Columbia also have laws in place to regulate the medical use of marijuana.
"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," said White House drug czar Gil Kerlikowske on Wednesday.
According to the federal survey, marijuana use among teenagers remained stuck at high levels in 2012.
Roughly 6.5 percent of 12th graders smoked marijuana daily, up from 5.1 percent in 2007.
Nearly 23 percent of the high-school seniors said they smoked the drug in the month prior to the survey, while 36.4 percent used it in the past year. About 45.2 percent reported they had tried marijuana at least once in their lifetime.
Daily marijuana use by 10th graders climbed from 2.8 percent to 3.5 percent, and for eighth-grade students it edged up from 0.8 percent to 1.1 percent.
On other topics the survey found:
• Use of illicit drugs other than marijuana was at a low for eighth-, 10th- and 12th-grade students.
• In the past year, about 1.3 percent of 12th graders used "bath salts," a new synthetic drug which mimics the effect of cocaine.
• In terms of prescription drug abuse, about 7.6 percent of 12th graders in the past year used Adderall, a stimulant prescribed to treat ADHD. That's up from 5.4 percent in 2009, coinciding with a decline in teens' perceptions of the harm in using the drug. Teen abuse of over-the-counter cough and cold medicines containing dextromethorphan held steady.
• Reported alcohol use continued to steadily decline, falling to the lowest level on record.
The survey, conducted by the University of Michigan for NIH, covered more than 45,000 students in the eighth, 10th and 12th grades in 395 schools.
I love pot but one problem with it - if your not used to it it can cause some really scary panic attacks/paranoia/hypochondria delusions.... You should probably start with one small puff if your not used to it. I think the most fun I have ever had was when I was 16 and after work every day I smoked pot and played guitar for hours in my room. I think it should be legal for maybe 13 and up? And parents are still allowed to flush it if they dont like it...
So when can we start getting angry for all the lies the Police Department sent out about Pot?
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"Marijuana is addicting..."
Maybe people are waking up and getting smarter than the governments fear mongering. At least when it comes to pot.
"Teens' view on pot fall from irrational to normal"
to say bath salts mimics cocaine is glamorizing bath salts, try a really bad acid trip. and if teenagers r drinking hand sanitizer, i would agree teenagers beleave pot is not so dangerous.
 @maggie112 What the #ELL did you just attempt to say?
The views of teenagers pretty much reflect that of the population as a whole. Â I would expect pot use to actually go down over time since it is no longer the forbidden fruit. It will follow the path of alcohol in the 1920's.
Â
"Prohibition proved to be counterproductive in that it promoted the heavy and rapid consumption of alcohol in secretive, nonsocially regulated and controlled ways. "People did not take the trouble to go to a speakeasy, present the password, and pay high prices for very poor quality alcohol simply to have a beer. When people went to speakeasies, they went to get drunk.[14]
As the problems caused by prohibition increased and spread to small towns throughout the country, there developed a movement to repeal the Eighteenth Amendment. Women had been at the forefront of the temperance movement in an effort to protect their families. With the spreading violence, emerging patterns of binge drinking, disrespect for the law, and other serious problems, women led the repeal movement to protect their families." Â - Wikipedia
the false scare campaigns and lies don't work anymore. welcome to the information age.Â
The drug who does not have one recorded death due to overdose. Shocking.
I smoked pot often when I was a teen. There was no danger. The real danger was when I drank alcohol and everyone including me knew it. Seems teens these days aren't falling for that old BS line, "Drugs are bad, mmm kay?"
Survey should've included how many kids listen to their parents? Many realize kids experiment with different things and behaviors when their parents aren't around.
I'm definitely a marijuana advocate, but I do think that maybe teenagers shouldn't be smoking it. I say this only because the brain is still developing, and it isn't clear if marijuana has any effect on the developing brain. My guess would be that it doesn't, but why risk it? Wait until your brain is finished (18-21 years old), then smoke away.Â
Is everybody too high to notice that they put up the wrong video...unless it's just me? Am I doing something wrong here or what?
 @Elvis I dont see a video...
Hahaha Teenagers have always had these views, now that it's legal, they're just finally admitting to it.
Teen's aren't all idiots. Most are probably realizing the truth that weed really isn't that bad for you, if it is bad for you at all. People who think it is damaging also tend to believe a strange man in the sky is telling them how to live. Sad where our societies priorities are.
 @customerservice Well spoken.
I'm experienced in these matters, trust me. Pot is the least troublesome of any drug including alcohol... just don't become a total pothead. This isn't that big a deal.
@Scoondog There are many people who use pot daily but are very functional citizens. The sterotypical "pothead" isn't sitting on the couch, getting baked, and eating a whole bag of Cheetos. I think that some people out there would be super surprised if they actually knew who the frequent pot smokers were.Â
 @Tattooed_Angel  @Scoondog I'm talking about the ones who smoke morning, noon, and night... I mean, they aren't hurting anything, but the ones I know aren't particularly productive human beings(maybe some are productive that way, hell I don't know). But again, it's way better than a coke head, or a major drunk. Myself, I generally wait till the end of the days to enjoy my "vices". Moderation is the key- and staying away from nasty, addictive drugs like cocaine and opiates. Uppers, downers, etc. That's what we should be educating about.
I will still deter my kids from drugs legal or not
 @swansong68 Actually, even though I voted to legalize it, I would also counsel against use when the kids are in school. Of course I did use as a teenager but amazingly enough, I graduated summa cum laude from college...... although I havent touched the stuff in 20 years at least, I doubt there are any long term effects from heavy use.
 @Susabelle  @swansong68 I took a psych class dealing with drugs and the brain for my associates, and when comparing pot to alcohol, cigs, crack, and Meth, pot came out on top. It had the least amount of effects on the body and no long term effects. It doesn't have hardly any addictive properties, some mental addictiveness but it depends if the person has an addictive personality to begin with, but physically there is none. Funny enough, tabacco and alcohol were both way more harmful on the body, even over meth and crack. Aside from caffine and the rare drinking party, I have never done any drugs (not counting prescriptions when I've absolutely had to), but if I were to ever try any of the "recreational" drugs I would just try pot due to what I've learned.
If pot use goes up, that's fine as long as the kids stay away from all the other dangerous drugs. Most specifically, prescription drugs.
 @virtual anomaly And alcohol! That is the most available one and does as much harm as any.
@Elvis I think prescription drugs are the greatest threats to the children of today. I've seen studies that show it is easier (and more prevalent) to get prescription pills than it is alcohol. I know for myself, it was always easier to get pot than it was alcohol.
 @virtual anomaly  @Elvis They also mix the two and make a real mess of things.
Right in line with IQ.
Awesome. The US continues its decline from a world power to a country full of welfare drug addicts.
 @Common Sense You clearly don't understand what a drug addict is.
 @Common Sense And you help populate the country with idiots that don't know a thing about marijuana!
Good to see kids are finally learning the truth. The problem is now they will wonder what else the government and their parents were liars about.
"Volkow cited recently published research showing that people who used marijuana heavily before age 18 had impaired mental abilities even after they quit using the drug. Those who used cannabis heavily in their teens and into their adulthood showed a significant drop in IQ between the ages of 13 and 38, according to the studies."
Pretty funny fake research especially considering our president was an avid smoker in his teen age years, along with many other brilliant minds like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Thomas Jefferson and many more.
First rule of public research is to follow the money trail. Whoever paid for the research will decide the outcome.
 @Blindman "our president was an avid smoker in his teen age years, along with many other brilliant minds like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Thomas Jefferson and many more." You had me laughing so hard with the "along with other brilliant minds.." You assume Obama has a brilliant mind. Now THAT is funny.
 @Robinsnest So, do you have a JD?
 @Blindman Obama NEVER used pot "heavily", and the others you cite probably did not as well. Way to distort the truth.
 @felines99  @Blindman What distortion? The poster didn't say "heavily," you did. Avid isn't necessarily "heavy." It means with enthusiasm. I only partake about 2x a year, but when I do, I partake avidly.
 @Hoagy SubHero  @felines99  @BlindmanWRONG. The article itself said "heavily", twice. "Volkow cited recently published research showing that people who used marijuana heavily before age 18 had impaired mental abilities even after they quit using the drug. Those who used cannabis heavily in their teens and into their adulthood showed a significant drop in IQ . . . ." In fact, the poster even quoted this very passage in his comment. Methinks perhaps your failure to even recognize this could be proof that HEAVY pot use does, indeed, lead to mental impairment!!! (Oh, BTW, I know, probably better than you, the difference between "avid" and "heavy".)
My reply was in response only to felines99 and Blindman, not to MoonDragonWitch.
 @felines99  @Blindman Actually, Thomas Jefferson did grow it...it used to be very heavily grown by our founding fathers, who in addition to tabacco, probably smoked it as well.
who are these companies or researcher that are doing this type of studies and I hope my tax dollars are not being used for this.
 @nunof uors Apparently ethics isn't a subject taught in science curriculums.Â
They don't appear to be concerned about getting an education, why would they care about the dangers of pot? The war on drugs has created a interest in it just out of perversity. It's biggest danger is diverting efforts away from more productive activities.
I would much rather deal with a teen that has been smoking pot than one that's drunk on alcohol.
Because it's not dangerous health wise. Your kids are better off smoking pot than cigarettes. Is it damaging psychologically wise or brain function wise? That's up for debate. Many great people and scholars were and are marijuana users.Â
 @Stacy Life in modern society damages people psychologically. Pot is the cure.
 @Elvis "Life in modern society damages people psychologically."
Â
I could not agree more. One of the most intelligent and profound statements posted yet.Â
 @Elvis  @Stacy Very well put and true. Every person on the planet has some sort of escape mechanism for dealing with how bad things are. Some eat cheese burgers, some drink, some watch movies or listen to music or just get out into nature to avoid our horrible industrialized civilization.
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 @GeorgeG. Don't you just hate brainwashed idiots? I know I sure do.
 @GeorgeG. Cheap labor. Outsourcing is outsourcing is outsourcing.
 @GeorgeG. You seem to have forgotten that the man behind Microsoft was a pothead.  Oh, and please show us the study showing pot permanently lowers a persons IQ.   Do you just make up stuff when you post?
@GeorgeG. Yep, all because of pot. Not because of the lower wages, less benefits, tax incentives, and the willingness to work in less than normal conditions. It's all because it's a scientifically proven fact that pot lowers your IQ.
Â
Yep.
@rwthw --- They hire them and BRING THEM HERE. So it has nothing to do with cost of living in China or India. Sheesh!
 @Bianca  @rwthw Bianca, are you arguing that Microsoft et al. pay these foreign workers exactly the same as they would pay native workers?