Pot Use Among Oregon Teenagers Soars

Marijuana use among eighth-graders in Oregon has tripled since 1990 and is up 68 percent among 11th-graders, according to a new study by the Oregon Department of Human Resources.

The study was based on a biennial survey of 12,263 sixth-, eighth- and 11th-grade students in 128 elementary, middle and high schools across the state. The state’s first such survey was taken in 1986.

Among eighth-graders, 15.3 percent reported using marijuana within the last 30 days, up from 9.8 percent in 1994 and 4.5 percent in 1990.

The numbers were higher in the 11th grade, where 21.7 percent of students reported they had smoked pot in the last month, up from 16.8 percent in 1994 and 12.9 percent in 1990.

“The students’ answers tell us they are heavily influenced by what their friends are doing and by what they see at home, at school and in the community,” Gary Weeks, agency director, said in a statement.

“Eighth-graders with even one best friend using marijuana are 10 times more likely to use it themselves. Those with four best friends using it are 82 percent times more likely to use marijuana than those with no best friends who do,” he said.

Knowing even one adult family member or neighbor who uses an illegal drug triples the likelihood that an eighth- or 11th-grader will use marijuana, according to the study.

Among eighth-graders who reported that their parents believe marijuana use is “very wrong,” only 9 percent used the drug anyway.

But among those who perceived that their parents believe marijuana use isn’t wrong, the number rose to more than 75 percent.

“If more parents would consistently tell their children that marijuana use is wrong,” Weeks said, “Oregon’s rate of student marijuana use would fall significantly.”