Marijuana Use by Teens Statistics

By Denise Witmer

Marijuana use among teens is thought to be more wide spread than alcohol use, which is why it gets funding for studies each year by the national organizations who watch such things. Parents can benefit from these surveys, reports and statistics by reading them knowing you are keeping abreast of what is going on inside your teen's world. Whether or not your teen is using pot, has experimented with marijuana or just knows about it, knowing what the current statistics are for all drugs of choice with teens will help you raise a drug free teen.

Statisitics About Marijuana and Teens Parents Should Know

• Among persons aged 18 or older, those who first used marijuana before age 12 were twice as likely to have serious mental illness in the past year as those who first used marijuana at age 18 or older. ~ The NSDUH Report, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.


• Among persons aged 18 or older who reported lifetime marijuana use, almost 53 percent reported that they first used marijuana between ages 12 and 17, and about 2 percent reported that they first used marijuana before age 12. ~ The NSDUH Report, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.


• Daily Marijuana use increased among 8th, 10th, and 12th graders from 2009 to 2010. Among 12th graders it was at its highest point since the early 1980s at 6.1%. This year, perceived risk of regular marijuana use also declined among 10th and 12th graders suggesting future trends in use may continue upward. ~ National Institute on Drug Abuse.


• In 2010, 21.4 percent of high school seniors used marijuana in the past 30 days, while 19.2 percent smoked cigarettes. ~ National Institute on Drug Abuse.


• Marijuana is addictive. About 1 in 6 people who start using as a teen, and 25-50 percent of those who use it every day, become addicted to marijuana. ~ National Institute on Drug Abuse.


• Marijuana and teen driving do not mix. It is the most common illegal drug found in drivers who die in accidents (around 14 percent of drivers), sometimes in combination with alcohol or other drugs. ~ National Institute on Drug Abuse.


• The latest treatment data indicate that in 2008 marijuana accounted for 17 percent of admissions (322,000) to treatment facilities in the United States, second only to opiates among illicit substances. ~ National Institute on Drug Abuse.


• One-in-five (19 percent) teen drivers reports that they have driven under the influence of marijuana, according to the most recent teen driving study by Liberty Mutual Insurance and SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions). See our news post here: Marijuana is the Drug of Choice for Teen Drivers


• Approximately 35.9% of female high school students surveyed nationwide in 2005 used marijuana during their lifetime. This is down from 7.6% in 2003 and 38.4% in 2001. ~ Centers for Disease Control.


• Among youth aged 12 to 17, the rate of current illicit drug use was similar for boys (10.1%) and girls (9.7%). While boys aged 12 to 17 had a higher rate of marijuana use than girls (7.5% vs. 6.2%). ~ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
• More teenage girls use marijuana than cocaine, heroin, ecstasy and all other illicit drugs combined. ~ The NSDUH Report, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.


• Some research shows that marijuana use can precede symptoms of depression. Girls (ages 14-15) who used marijuana daily were five times more likely to face depression at age 21. Daily use in young women was associated with an over fivefold increase in the odds of reporting a state of depression and anxiety. See source below, Patton et al.


• Drug busts of youth for marijuana offenses often carry harsh penalties that can cause undue social harm with lifelong consequences. ~ About.com US Liberal Politics.

Monitoring the Future survey for high school users by grade surveyed:

8th graders: Past month use down to 5.7 percent in 2007 from 6.5 percent in 2006. Also, use at least one time has dropped from 15.7 percent in 2006 to 14.2 percent in 2007.

10th graders: Past month use has remained stable at 14.2 percent, but lifetime use has dropped slightly, from 31.8 percent in 2006 to 31.0 percent in 2007.

12th graders: The only group that has seen an increase in marijuana use over the past month, from 18.3 percent in 2006 to 18.8 percent in 2007. However, those that have tried it once in a lifetime have actually dropped from 42.3 percent to 41.8 percent.