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WASHINGTON – Marijuana use is increasing in teens and could climb ever higher given the relaxation in marijuana laws across the United States.
Approximately 7.5% of the U.S. population aged 12 years and older are current users of marijuana, according to the annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) released Sept. 4 by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The survey tracks the substance use and mental health issues in the U.S. population.
Pamela Hyde
The rate of marijuana use is a "significant increase" over the 2011 rate. In 2012, 7% of survey respondents said they were current users of marijuana, meaning they had used it at least once within 30 days prior to taking the survey, SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde said at a press briefing. She suggested that rate could go up when the survey is conducted for 2014.
"These data are from 2013, so they don’t yet reflect the changes in these numbers we may experience as cities and states legalize this drug for adult recreational use."
Another indication that the numbers could continue to rise is the fact that people are perceiving a lower risk.
"The issue of marijuana is a big one in our country today," Ms. Hyde said, with 40% of adolescents aged 12-17 years reporting that they "perceive a great risk smoking marijuana once or twice a week. ... As the perception of risk of harm goes down, it follows a year or two later that the use goes up."
The increase in overall marijuana use is driving increases in overall illicit drug use, according to the survey. Respondents claiming to be current users of illicit drugs were 24.6 million of those aged 12 years and older, or 9.4% of the population.
About 52% of the population aged 12 years and over (136.9 million) reported being current users of alcohol (at least one drink in the 30 days prior), with 23% claiming binge use (at least one session with five or more drinks consumed within the 30 days prior) and 6.3% being heavy users (at least five sessions of five or more drinks in one session).
The survey also found that an estimated 22.7 million people aged 12 years and over needed treatment for an illicit drug or alcohol problem, and only 2.5 million were treated in a specialty facility.
