Use of marijuana by adolescents aged 12 to 17 dipped slightly in 1996, but increased moderately among adults, according to preliminary data from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) latest Household Survey on Drug Abuse.
The percentage of adolescents who reported using marijuana at least once a month fell from 8.2 percent in 1995 to 7.1 percent. This figure marked a reversal from annual rates of increasing use beginning in 1992. Today’s percentages are far lower than those recorded in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Marijuana use among adults rose slightly in 1996. In all, more than 10 million Americans reported smoking marijuana monthly, and approximately 20 million admitted yearly use. The study reported that almost 70 million Americans — 32 percent of the adult population — have tried marijuana.
“In light of this overall usage data, marijuana prohibition appears to be a foolishly destructive policy,” said NORML Executive Director R. Keith Stroup, Esq. “How sensible is it to criminalize an activity that one third of the adult population admits having engaged in?”
The report also noted that 77 percent of all current illicit drug users consume only marijuana or hashish.
For more information, please contact either Keith Stroup or Paul Armentano of NORML at (202) 483-8751.