Posted on 08/08/2020 11:03:43 AM PDT by NobleFree
Newly-released data shows the majority of Colorado’s youth are participating in healthy behaviors and that marijuana use among school-aged children has not significantly changed since legalization.
The data comes from the bi-annual statewide Healthy Kids Colorado Survey (HKCS) conducted last year with more than 100,000 students participating. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) released the results of the survey Monday.
The survey shows marijuana use among school-aged kids has stayed relatively flat since legalization, but the way kids are using marijuana has changed. In 2019, 20.6% of youth said they use marijuana compared to 19.4% in 2017. More youth are now vaping marijuana -- 10.6% in 2019 compared to 5.1% in 2015. Dabbing rose from 4.3% in 2015 to 20.4% in 2019.
A troubling finding in the survey shows more youth are experiencing depression, but the percentage of youth who have seriously considered suicide and attempted suicide has not changed. In 2019, 34.7% of youth reported feeling so sad or hopeless, up from 31.4% in 2017 and 29.5% in 2015.
The results indicate that children experience less mental health problems and avoid unhealthy behaviors when they have access to trusted adults, a stable family life and safe schools, according CDPHE analysis of the survey results.
Other highlights of the survey include:
Tobacco use/Vaping: In Colorado, the percent of youth who vape has not significantly changed since 2015, and cigarette use is declining. In 2019, 5.7% of youth reported smoking cigarettes compared to 7.2% in 2017. In 2019, 25.9% of youth reported vaping compared to 27.0% in 2017. This is not a statistically significant change. The percent of youth who think vaping is risky rose 23.2% between 2017 and 2019
Sexual health: The percent of youth who have had sex has not significantly changed since 2015. In 2019, 24.6% of youth said they were sexually active. Of those youth, 59.4% used a condom the last time they had sex, 79.2% used birth control, and 78.5% said they didn’t use drugs or alcohol before sex.
Healthy Eating: In Colorado, sugary beverage consumption by youth is decreasing. In 2019, 14.4% of youth consumed more than one soda per day in the last week compared to 15.8% in 2017. The percent of youth who are overweight or obese has not significantly changed since 2015.
Substance use: Youth who report that they use alcohol (29.6%), marijuana (20.6%), or vape (25.9%) has not significantly changed since 2015. Cigarette use among youth has decreased from 7.2% in 2017 to 5.7% in 2019.
Protective factors: Most youth in Colorado reported having a trusted adult to go to for help. In 2019, 72.7% of youth report having a trusted adult to go to for help with a serious problem, 87.4% of youth think their family has clear rules about alcohol and drug use, and 86.2% of youth report feeling safe at school.
More often than before legalization? Link?
I have life experience and common sense. This is the equivalent of “A study says water runs uphill,” backed by the gauziest of data.
Not randomly selected so can't be extrapolated to lives other than your own.
Data that isn't reliable, isn't reliable. I don't conclude anything based on it.
You can if you would like.
News flash .... if their lips are moving they are lying.
There’s no reason to think they lie more now about using a legal-for-adults substance than they used to lie about using an illegal-for everybody substance. Rather the opposite, if anything.
I just watched a 1-hour video about Seattle’s downfall as a city. (Before its most recent downfall).
The politicians call it “a homeless problem”.
A very few honest citizens call it drug addiction. (And they’re applauded for their honesty).
“The law that allows employers to fire people for marijuana use disproportionately affects people in poverty and people of color, he said. And that further excludes those populations from participating in the economy.”
More good marijuana news.
:/
I’ve seen no evidence that anti-ppt laws reduce addiction.
I support employers’ right to hire or fire for any reason they desire.
More available to adults - from sellers who now have a financial incentive to not sell to kids, namely the risk of losing the license for those legal adult sales.
Just like booze in the 1950’s and 1960’s.. The more available the easier to get.. Buyers buy and give or sell to kids..
“Just like booze in the 1950’s and 1960’s..”
Not just like - the legal status remained the same.
Kids have reported since well before any state legalized that they could get pot almost as easily as cigarettes and beer, although the latter are much more widely used among adults. This makes sense because only sellers of legal drugs have an incentive to card.
Alcohol has always been the gateway drug. I would also add nicotine(cigarettes) to that list.
Immune, as previously noted.
I know what can and can’t be concluded from given facts. Shame that’s not true for all.
This assumes that kids are telling the truth about their abuse of pot.
What’s dabbing?
that is a bunch of mularky! Before they legalized it you had to look for it. Now it is everywhere.. We have people standing on the street waiving signs to where the local pot shot is!!
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