Marijuana Use Among Canadian Teens Reaches Record HighNovember 12, 2003
Research Summary
A Health Canada survey finds that more 12- to 19-year-old Canadians smoke marijuana regularly than use tobacco, putting use of the drug at the highest level in 25 years, the Ottawa Citizen reported Oct. 29."Research we have conducted on 12- to 19-year-olds shows us that marijuana has gone mainstream and is well integrated into teen lifestyle," said Linda Dabros, a special adviser to Health Canada's director general of drug strategy.
According to the survey of 1,250 teens, 34 percent of 12- to 19-year-olds said they had smoked marijuana more than once, while 22 percent of teens said they smoke cigarettes regularly.
"Youth rates are going up and are at levels that we haven't seen since the late '70s, when rates reached their peak," said Richard Garlick, a spokesman for the Canadian Centre for Substance Abuse.
Canada is currently considering a measure that would decriminalize marijuana.
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