Marijuana Use Among Teens Declines Again in Arizona; Activist says Prosecutors Cherry-Pick Data

0

Arizona’s “top” prosecutors on Thursday urged the public to oppose cannabis legalization, warning that diverted medical marijuana is an increasing source of the drug for teens.
Problem is, these modern-day prohibitionists are cherry-picking their data from the newly released 2014 Arizona Youth Survey by the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission. And that report reveals something that’s arguably more interesting:
Marijuana use among teens, in general, appears to be continuing a remarkable decline.


The survey shows that wherever teens are getting their pot, fewer of them are getting it, period.
Following a trend observers of marijuana policy have noticed since the 2010 passage of the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act, the survey shows marijuana use has declined in 2014 among the state’s 8th- and 10th-graders compared to the results of the same survey in 2010 and 2012.
The survey isn’t a random, scientific survey, but rather based on the self-reported answers of thousands of Arizona students. (Just a thought: Since a teen may be hesitant to report use of any substance, especially an illegal one, the self-reported marijuana responses may be skewing slightly higher than they would a few years ago, because use of marijuana has become more generally accepted in society.)
More at the Phoenix New Times.

Share.