What percentage of college age kids smoke weed? (1 Viewer)

[lakerstan]

I hear this all the time. Is this actually true? Seems unrealistic to compare the two substances. My wife and i each had a beer and a half last night. We split three different new ones. Pretty much zero effect to me. What is the marijuana equivalent?

Again, it's all about education.

There are two key types of marijuana - Sativa and Indica (there are also hybrids of the two). 

There are also two major "cannabanoids" - THC and CBD.  Sativa and Indica have different levels of these components.

THC is the one that gets you "high" which means that it has a psychoactive component, and CBD has anti-inflammatory and relaxation properties.  The typical person that wants to get high would find something with greater than 10mg of THC.  Someone with medical issues or someone trying to reduce stress could find something higher in CBD, so they don't get high, but get the positive relaxation benefit.  This is a good article about it.

Buying from someone off the street, there obviously aren't labeling standards, but for those of us in legal states, there are clear labels (almost like a nutrition label) on how many milligrams of each "per serving" including edibles, if you don't like the idea of smoking it.

To equate it to passing a beer would depend on the mg of THC is in the product you are ingesting and what your desired effect is.  Without knowing the ingredients, you could be passing a beer or a bottle of scotch.  The good thing about marijuana is that you can't overdose on it, unlike alcohol poisoning.

Just like comparing the fat/carbs/protein of a cupcake versus a skinless chicken breast - it's all about the ingredients of what you are ingesting.

 

[Bossman]

What's your level of concern with alcohol?  

concern with my 19 year old with alcohol on a scale of 1 to 10 ... is a 2. 

Drinking and driving is a different story.

Last new years eve he was heading into Boston to hang out with friends at their apartment.  We asked if he will be drinking ... he told us "yes" and tells us that's why he's spending the night there (not driving home). My wife was like ok, have fun, be safe.

He's honest with us and respectful enough not to drink in front of or around us.

I've stressed to both kids not to drink and drive OR get into a car of someone that's been drinking. My concern there would be a 7. 

To me people that smoke weed daily tend to be lazy or just care less than non-smokers. Care less about career (or school), fitness, appearance, etc. Suppose the same could be said for an alcoholic.

I'm sure there are many exceptions ... you know a guy who smokes weed every day, graduated Harvard Law school, rich off his hedge funds and works out at your gym everyday as all the ladies throw phone numbers at him. 

The ones I know that smoke weed everyday are content with their 2 bedroom apartment and dead end job. Tell me this stereotype is nonsense please and my level of concern for weed will be lowered.

.

 

[roadkill1292]

All my kids, who are now adults, smoke (or have smoked) weed in a responsible manner but I have no idea how prevalent this is beyond what the polls tell me. Going to class baked seems like a pretty counterproductive thing to do, though, and I wouldn't even think of going to work blitzed, but I don't know if it's better to warn your kids about stuff like that or let them work it out on their own. I tend to lean towards the "let them figure things out on their own" side but I realize that sentiments have changed somewhat on this issue.

 

[RedmondLonghorn]

CDC data says that the % of 18-25 year olds who report having used pot in the past month is just under 20%. That data is from 2014.

Clearly the number who have ever tried it will be substantially higher, but I don't think it is actually 80-90%.

 

[Bossman]

CDC data says that the % of 18-25 year olds who report having used pot in the past month is just under 20%. That data is from 2014.

Clearly the number who have ever tried it will be substantially higher, but I don't think it is actually 80-90%.

20%? Were they polling these young adults on their way into a job interview? Was the poll taker dressed in a police uniform?

I hope that is accurate though. 1 out of 5 seems logical. I would feel a littler better knowing the users are the minority.

Now how will that number change with legalization and state licensed distribution in 2018 (MA)?

 

[roadkill1292]

20%? Were they polling these young adults on their way into a job interview? Was the poll taker dressed in a police uniform?

I hope that is accurate though. 1 out of 5 seems logical. I would feel a littler better knowing the users are the minority.

Now how will that number change with legalization and state licensed distribution in 2018 (MA)?

I don't think legalization anywhere has had a substantial effect on usage.

I think Redmond's CDC data is pretty accurate and it's hovered around those percentages for some time now. I also think I saw a poll showing that something like 50% of boomers had at least tried it once (and even 15% or so of the real old generation) so I think we have a large number of Americans who don't think you'll start worshiping Satan if you take a hit of weed.

 

[RedmondLonghorn]

20%? Were they polling these young adults on their way into a job interview? Was the poll taker dressed in a police uniform?

I hope that is accurate though. 1 out of 5 seems logical. I would feel a littler better knowing the users are the minority.

Now how will that number change with legalization and state licensed distribution in 2018 (MA)?

Data from Colorado and Washington seem to show a decline in teen usage since legalization, though the drop in WA wasn't considered statistically significant.

Washington Post Article

Given the fear-mongering by those against legalization (who all predicted use among youths would sky-rocket), I would still call a statistically insignificant drop in WA a pretty good result.

 

[roadkill1292]

Data from Colorado and Washington seem to show a decline in teen usage since legalization, though the drop in WA wasn't considered statistically significant.

Washington Post Article

Given the fear-mongering by those against legalization (who all predicted use among youths would sky-rocket), I would still call a statistically insignificant drop in WA a pretty good result.

Yeah, one of opponents' key arguments has fallen completely apart in the face of data from Colorado, et al. Usage rates were supposed to spike way upwards in states where it was legalized and nothing like that has remotely happened.

 

[Buckna]

OP asked about college students though, not teens. That same study shows that usage of 18~25 year olds went up from 43.95% to 45.24% in Colorado. So ultimately, I think it depends on where you live, lots of variation among states likely having to do with legalization in certain states like Colorado where it be more acceptable to try it. As well as legalization is more likely to attract out of state users to move to a legalized state (at least until lots of other places legalize it too.)

 

[RedmondLonghorn]

OP asked about college students though, not teens. That same study shows that usage of 18~25 year olds went up from 43.95% to 45.24% in Colorado. So ultimately, I think it depends on where you live, lots of variation among states likely having to do with legalization in certain states like Colorado where it be more acceptable to try it. As well as legalization is more likely to attract out of state users to move to a legalized state (at least until lots of other places legalize it too.)

18-25 includes a lot of people who are legally allowed to purchase and use. I don't think it is shocking that you would see an increase.

 

[bushdocda]

? % of my friends. 

Sample size limited to potheads. 

 

[Buckna]

18-25 includes a lot of people who are legally allowed to purchase and use. I don't think it is shocking that you would see an increase.

I don't think it's shocking at all, but the posters question was "does use increase with legalization among young adults", specifically college in the original post. That answer is almost certainly yes based on the data. Not exactly earth-shattering though.

Of course, then it becomes a value judgment. IMO, I don't really care if people try or use pot recreationally or if the number goes up once legalized. OP seems to see that (to some small extent) as a negative though.

 

[RedmondLonghorn]

I don't think it's shocking at all, but the posters question was "does use increase with legalization among young adults", specifically college in the original post. That answer is almost certainly yes based on the data. Not exactly earth-shattering though.

Of course, then it becomes a value judgment. IMO, I don't really care if people try or use pot recreationally or if the number goes up once legalized. OP seems to see that (to some small extent) as a negative though.

Fair enough. 

My comment about HS aged use was a bit of a tangent, I realize.

Keeping this fact based, the most recent data seems to indicate that about 20% of college-aged people have used pot in some form recently.

Here are a few other conclusions that are logical:

--The % of people in that cohort who have ever used it is definitely higher than the % who have used it recently. That's logically certain. Though whether they first tried it in college or in HS is uncertain.

--The % of college students who have tried it is probably higher than the % of college-aged people.

--Use in all demographics over the legal age limit (21) is likely higher in places that have legalized than in those that haven't.