Washington State’s liberalized recreational cannabis policy: Healthy Youth Survey, 2008-2018

SpringerLink 8 June 2020
Family First Comment: The state legalized marijuana for recreational use in 2012. Adolescent marijuana use after legalization remained steady or trended down slightly. However, the 2018 survey indicates a slight upward trend for 8^th and 10^th grade (year 9/11 NZ) students. Having a close friend who uses marijuana and perceived parental acceptance of marijuana use are consistently linked to adolescent use.

The state of Washington has conducted a Healthy Youth Survey in even-numbered years since 2008. The state legalized marijuana for recreational use in 2012. Adolescent marijuana use after legalization remained steady or trended down slightly.

However, the 2018 survey indicates a slight upward trend for 8^th and 10^th grade (year 9/11 NZ) students. Having a close friend who uses marijuana and perceived parental acceptance of marijuana use are consistently linked to adolescent use.

Read abstract of this study published in Prevention Science here.
READ MORE: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11121-020-01136-0

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