Washington State sees drop in youth cannabis use

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More evidence surfaces that legalizing cannabis doesn’t create a society of youth potheads

The continued belief by cannabis opponents that legalizing marijuana consumption is going to lead to a nation full of potheads is full of nothing but hot air. This has already been shown in numerous studies on the subject, but there is yet another one that has surfaced, once again refuting the claim. After Washington State legalized cannabis, it didn’t turn into a land of zombified stoners.

In fact, just the opposite happened. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report last Friday and it shows that fewer adolescents in Washington are consuming cannabis than ever before. This is in line with studies that have previously been conducted on the state’s cannabis consumption habits, as well as those targeting other states, such as Colorado.

According to the report, “Following 2012 legalization of retail marijuana sale to adults in Washington, past 30–day marijuana use decreased or remained stable through 2016 among King County students in grades 6, 8, 10, and 12. Among grade 10 students, the decline in use occurred among males while the rate among females remained steady. Use of alcohol or other substances was four times as frequent among marijuana users as among nonusers.”

It adds, “Despite legalization of the retail sale of marijuana to adults in Washington in 2012, evidence from the biennial Washington State Healthy Youth Survey indicates that the prevalence of past 30–day marijuana use among students in grades 10 and 12 began to decline that year.”

Opponents continue to lose their footing as their misguided attempts at stopping legalized marijuana across the country falter.