Pot Use Lower Among Illinois Teens Who Live Near Medical Dispensaries

Illinois teens in zip codes with medical cannabis dispensaries were less likely to have used cannabis, according to a new study.

of findingsA study by researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign found that “about 18.3% of healthcare-intensive youth living in Illinois zip codes reported using cannabis during the previous year, compared with 18.3%. , 22.4% of young people living in the zip code would be without these businesses.” According to the Illinois News Bureau, the university’s news agency,.

“Similarly, students with a medical institution within a zip code were less likely to report using cannabis in the past 30 days, at 12%, compared with 15.6% of students who lived in other zip codes, researchers said. discovered,” the Illinois News Agency announced. report.

The findings are based on the 2018 Illinois Youth Survey, a “biennial evaluation conducted by the University’s Center for Prevention Research and Development,” which includes a sample of 10,560 youth across the state.

According to the news bureau, an “anonymous investigation” [asked] We surveyed 8th, 10th, and 12th graders in schools across Illinois about a variety of health and social issues, including alcohol, tobacco, and drug use,” while data were “between January and June 2018. ​​There were 53 medical cannabis being used at the time. In-state pharmacies. The survey was conducted before Illinois legalized recreational marijuana in January 2020.

“We have good news, but there are still reasons to be cautious and continue to monitor the situation.” Said Doug Smith, director of the University’s Center for Prevention Research and Development, is also a professor of social work and an expert on drug use among teens and young adults. “The good news is that Illinois didn’t seem to have an immediate effect on drug use rates among adolescents after the introduction of health care facilities. , found that they were less likely to have used cannabis in the past 30 days or 1 year.”

Smith acknowledged that the findings do not require clarification.

“It’s honestly a headache,” Smith said, according to the news agency. “The only reason I can think of is that in 2018 there were only 53 pharmacies open across Illinois. There is a possibility.

“But we need to combat the hysteria that cannabis legalization has had a profound impact on teens in terms of drug use rates and prevalence,” Smith added. “That’s not true.”

The press office has more information About the survey results:

“The average age of the students surveyed was 15. Most of the students in the sample were white (43%) or Latino (26%). The researchers found that cannabis use increased significantly as Illinois students progressed from grade 8 to grade 12, with the majority of those surveyed (47%) living in the Chicago suburbs. 21% are from other cities, about 18% live in rural areas, and 14% live in the City of Chicago.About 32% of the Chicago youth studied 3.5% of the youth who lived in rural areas did not live in a postal code with a medical cannabis dispensary, whereas the data showed that cannabis use was more prevalent in densely populated areas. Overall, 29% of students living in the city of Chicago reported having used cannabis, compared with 19% of students in suburban Chicago, 22% of students in other urban areas, and 22% of students in rural areas. 19% of students in