Marijuana use decreases post legalisation

Washington: According to a recent study, the use of marijuana has decreased amongst high school students since it was legalised in Washington D.C.

The researchers found that only one group of teenagers, the high school seniors who work for more than 11 hours per week use marijuana more often after its legalisation. The use of Marijuana decreased considerably among the 8th graders, 10th graders and 12th graders who didn’t work whereas there was no change in the high school seniors who work less than 11 hours a week. The research was published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

The researchers wanted to understand if the legalisation made any difference in the consumption of marijuana amongst the teenagers from grade 8th, 10th and 12th who work in jobs that don't include household chores, yard work or babysitting.

Post-legalisation, 4.8 per cent of non-working 8th graders reported using pot within the last 30 days, while 20.8 per cent of their working peers did. Among 10th graders, 13.9 per cent reported using marijuana within the last 30 days in 2016, versus 33.2 per cent of 10th graders who worked 11 or more hours per week. The difference for 12th graders was 20.5 per cent non-working, versus 36.7 per cent working. The data they used for the research was taken from the state’s biennial Healthy Youth Survey.

No matter what grade the students were in, those who worked 11 or more hours per week reported using marijuana more often than their non-working peers. The study noted that teenagers who work usually come into contact with adults who aren't their coaches, teachers and parents, and they are often exposed to adult substance use. In addition, working teens have more disposable income than their non-working peers.

"Kids learn a lot by working, in terms of responsibility, but there are also pretty good data showing that kids who work engage in adult-like behaviours earlier. I would say this for any parent of working kids, it's important to know the quality of management and supervision at your child's job. Be thoughtful about the quality of a particular workplace," explained Janessa Graves, the lead author of the study.

The study also suggested that the employers could take action by advertising and enforcing zero-tolerance policies of adult employees providing substances or endorsing substance use to their adolescent co-workers