Communities That Care

Posted on January 22, 2010

Perceived Risk of Harm of Marijuana Use Down Nationally for 12th Graders

(From CESAR FAX: January 18, 2010 Vol. 19, Issue 2)

Twelfth graders’ perceived risk of harm from regular marijuana use has declined in recent years, according to data from the national Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey. In 2008 and 2009, 52% of U.S. high school seniors thought that there was a great risk of harm from smoking marijuana regularly, down from 58% in 2006. Previous MTF data show that as perceived risk decreases, use increases (see figure below). While the percentage of 12thgraders reporting that they used marijuana in the past month has increased only slightly (from 18% in 2006 to 21% in 2009), MTF researcher Lloyd Johnston notes that “the upward trending of the past two or three years stands in stark contrast to the steady decline that preceded it for nearly a decade” (p. 1). Similar decreases in perceived harm from marijuana use have been seen among 8thand 10thgrade students. These findings illustrate the importance of continuing to present realistic information about the risks and consequences of
marijuana use to youth.

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