WASHINGTON — America's teens are using more marijuana and less alcohol, according to an annual government study of eighth-, 10th- and 12th-graders across the country.
Some 6.1 percent of high-school seniors reported using marijuana this year, up from 5.2 percent in 2009, according to the Monitoring the Future survey released by the National Institutes of Health.
Marijuana use by 10th-graders climbed from 2.8 percent to 3.3 percent, and for eighth-grade students it edged up from 1.0 percent to 1.2 percent.
Binge drinking is on the decline. While 23.2 percent of high school seniors reported having five or more drinks in a row, that's down from 25.2 percent a year earlier. The binge rate for this age group peaked at 31.5 percent in 1998.
The survey conducted by the University of Michigan covered 46,482 students in 396 schools.
i remember those high school surveys. all the real pot smokers said they didn't smoke.
ReplyDeletei suspect the true number of high school senior pot smokers is a lot higher than reported.
you can't tell me that the 25% who report binge drinking don't smoke pot.
That is good news. Thanks Tex.
ReplyDeleteBilly - Good point, no telling what the real numbers are.
ReplyDeleteMr. C - I thought I'd get an argument saying it was good news, glad you agree. I think any parent that's been around the block would way rather their kid smoke at a party than drink.