A study published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine was completed on 5,263 teenage students in Switzerland and is producing some hair raising results. In line with a lot of studies that have been released in 2007 and 2008, this study boldly claims that it has found that marijuana use does not produce the fearful symptoms spread by anti-drug groups. The study seems to make a case that teenagers who use only marijuana, opposed to students who use marijuana and cigarettes are more active in sports, have better grades, are more socially adept and have used less illegal drugs.
As this might seem completely crazy to some as they nod their head in doubt, we’ll cover the actual study statistics so you can define your own truth. Before we jump into the specific study data, it is important to note that this study was completed in Switzerland where laws around marijuana are more lax and it is more socially acceptable to use the drug. America definitely has much tougher laws on marijuana use and possession. Now that we have established the liberal differences, let’s jump into the data of the actual study.
If you would like to review this study in it’s published format at the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine you can get it here. The study was carried out at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland by J.C. Suris, M.D., Ph.D., and a group of his peers. A national survey was given to 5,263 Swiss students that ranged from 16 - 20 years old. One thing to note that could throw a slight curve-ball in these results is the way the Swiss educational system is structured. In Switzerland at age 16 students decide whether to attend high school (students on their way to obtain a university education, 30% of 16 year olds) or whether to go to vocational school (apprentices who spend two thirds of the week working in a company related to their field, 60% of 16 year olds) and the other 10% decide to do their own thing. While the study did a great job of mixing responses from students attending high school or vocational school, it would seem the 10 percent of dropouts might have provided important data to the study conclusions.
Putting the educational system differences aside, the study produced clear data that shows some surprising conclusions. From all 5,263 students in the study they break down like this: 1,703 smoked marijuana and cigarettes, 455 smoked only marijuana and 3,105 abstained from both marijuana and cigarettes. Directly from the study the researchers state, “Our findings in this nationally representative sample of adolescents show that 6 percent of them use cannabis without having used tobacco and that one-fifth of current cannabis users (21.1 percent) declare never having used tobacco.”
When you look at the students that claimed to have never used marijuana or cigarettes, you find interesting and unexpected differences. The survey found that non-users that claimed to play sports tallied up to 76.6 percent but 85.5 percent of “marijuana only” users played sports. With the repeated mentions of amotivational syndrome found in marijuana users in other studies, the sports participation was definitely surprising. In addition to sports, 87 percent of marijuana users said they had good friendships opposed to 82.2 percent of non-users. 
A nearly 20 percent difference was found in sensation-seeking teens with 37.8 percent of marijuana users seekers and 21.8 percent of non-users sensation-seekers. The parent relationships didn’t have a striking difference with 74.1 percent of teens using marijuana less likely to have a good relationship with their parents and 82.4 percent of non-users less likely to have a good relationship with their parents. As one can imagine, it can be a challenge to have a good relationship with any teen on the parental level throughout the various stages of their teen years if marijuana is involved or not.
Looking directly at the original comparison between marijuana only users and tobacco and marijuana users, you see bigger differences in the sports and grade portions of the study. When looking at playing sports, marijuana only users were at 85.5 percent and marijuana and tobacco users only had 66.7 percent of them playing sports. So a nearly 22 percent difference of these users playing sports seems to show that cigarettes put the kabosh on extracurricular activities in school. An 11 percent difference showed up when talking about grades in school. Marijuana only users were tallied at 77.5 percent with good grades and marijuana and cigarette users were only at 66.5 percent. As you might expect, the grades suffered due to using too many substances at once. It was eluded to in the survey that teens using marijuana and cigarettes were more likely to abuse alcohol and other illegal drugs too.
Other important parts of the study to take note of were that marijuana users were less likely to have drank alcohol in the last 30 days and less likely to have used any other illegal drugs when compared to students who smoked both marijuana and cigarettes. One thing to note about the marijuana only users that seems to show a reason for some of the differences is they claimed they were less likely to have used marijuana more than once or twice in the last 30 days. So although the teens classified as marijuana only users were in fact using marijuana, they truly were not spending their afternoons toking up.
There are more categories and comparisons that were revealed by the study, but we have covered most of the more interesting ones. If you want to delve deeper into the study remember that you can grab the scientific report from the link above.
As a listener to the Business Shrink radio show and a reader of the blog we want to know what you think about this study? Does anything seem not to add up to you? We would love to get your comments and how well you think this study applies to American students and if it has revealed anything surprising to you. The efforts behind medical marijuana legalization have become even more heated in the last year and this study seems to add to the fire. Please feel free to let us know your thoughts on America’s growing acceptance of marijuana.
A weed that grows wild in every state of the union is under federal embargo.
What should cost pennies costs more than GOLD even from a marijuana dispensary.
We could balance the federal deficit since the costs are what they are, and the price is what it is, if government was doing the gowing.
Instead, criminals are getting the money. And a few legit growers and sellers are getting immensely wealthy on the backs of marijuana patients.
And, we have police states in our urban areas thanks to the so called war on drugs.
[…] Researchers say marijuana is less of a drag than cigarettes […]
This is one of the web’s most interesting stories on Wed 5th Mar 2008…
These are the web’s most talked about URLs on Wed 5th Mar 2008. The current winner is …..
yet the american government wont read or care about this. they dont make money inless there hurting people. So why bother, inless the tobbacco company picks up a seed and grows weed, its never gonna be legelized. they pull the strings on the people in control.
it makes sense to me. a lot of people realize cannabis is not as destructive as advertised and that cigarettes are utter poison. its the legality issue that does not add up.
Unfortunately TRINITY has a point, but Iv’e been noticing a trend over the last couple months on this site and others, that the amount of attention the world even is putting on marijuana, and most of it looks promising, but until you can buy POT in place of cigarettes, it will not be legalized.
[…] 11% more users of only marijuana had better grades and used less alcohol & illegal drugs.read more | digg […]
Here’s the thing about marijuana. It was outlawed originally in the US by a conglomeration of racist newspaper owners, petro-chemical owners and cotton plantation owners. They used racism against Mexicans to fuel public fear of the “drug” and push for government intervention in the form of prohibition.
As we all know (that is, if we paid attention in US history class) the United States has a pretty piss-poor record with prohibition, leading the country to violent crime rates higher than ever.
The same thing is happening now, as people are beginning to wake up. The few states that have actually allowed marijuana to be used as medicinal have had a few problems, granted; this is BECAUSE the federal government refuses to admit its wrongdoings. If they legalized it, BILLIONS would flow in in taxes alone, let alone the BILLIONS saved to the taxpayer through lack of incarceration for marijuana related offenses and the lack of necessary programs to fight AGAINST the supposed “Silent Killer”.
Personally, I’ve been smoking marijuana for a decade. I started in 7th grade and I’m now 22 years old. I’m a college senior, I work three jobs to support myself without any financial support from my parents (not because they refuse to help, but simply because I don’t want to ask them to; they gave me 18 years, I’m an adult, and I can do it on my own.) I don’t have the most exemplary grades, but that isn’t something I attribute to the marijuana; on the contrary, I only smoke once or twice a week at the most.
The thing about marijuana is not that it’s harmful, because it’s not. Sure, it can blacken the lungs; it’s SMOKE! You could chop up twigs and make a roll-up, theyre still going to hurt you. But the properties inherent in marijuana that cause the psychedelic reaction that is craved are really no more harmful than the chemicals that our own bodies produce. It still kills me that we allow cigarettes (I quit a year ago) and alcohol (I do enjoy a beer or whiskey on occasion) and not marijuana, but it’s more the social stigma that is holding us (and our government) back. During it’s initial prohibition, the media outlets inundated Americans with the fears of its super potent ability to turn normal men into lunatics hell bent on rape and death and destruction.
I don’t know how it goes in other countries, mostly because I was raised in the US and have spent all my energies towards pot legalization in my homeland, but I would be very interested to understand how it came about in other countries.
Regardless, it’s time for this prohibition to end. Many law enforcement officials have gone on record stating that the war against marijuana is insanity. It causes needless deaths at the hands of law enforcement officers, it costs billions of dollars, and it just isnt helping a goddamn thing.
The american goverment IS growing it as we speak, medicinal marijuana comes from where? farmers with a federal cultivation permit or users in medicinal states with a cultivation permit. I honestly wouldnt know if users with terminal diseases are granted a cultivation permit, rumors to the east here in fla are that medicinal users in cali and other states are granted 1-3 plants per year as their own medicine or they could be supplied a specified amount, again i’m unsure. But i do know this..if it’s growing in california then why the hell can’t it grow in florida?
Politics ladies and gentleman, until we the people of this nation RECLAIM this nation none of us, not one will ever be heard or understood for anything more than being a stupid dopehead trying to be a 3rd leg for a dog with only one leg and until politicians bring up the topic, until they notice more money in their pocket this month from misdemeanor offenses of possession charges (cause i guarentee you in places where it is DECRIMINALIZED, such as denver, colorado where a possession of up to one ounce if legal within city limits and if caught you’re marijuana is not confiscated and the fine can be no more than $100) I know people who would smoke joints in public just to be slapped with a fine and gladly pay it with a smile just to generate more revenue and show our state/government that it’s people are fully mature and responsible marijuana users and we deserve to be treated equally and not like criminals.
Until we all stand up as one and stand in front of Georgie W. Bushies house and blow dope smoke in his face, things will continue as they are. It can be done ladies and gentleman, it CAN be done.
African Americans got it done, took em 100 years but they got ‘er done.
Homosexuals got it done, took them a couple blowjobs and carpet cleansing tactics but in under a fuckin decade SOMEHOW they got it done.
HOW you say? SIMPLE…..stand together.
And what pisses me off more than anything is a percentage of marijuana consumers are homosexual and african american, don’t beleve anyone has to question the african-american community of its contribution to legalization/decriminalization…but others have gotten awfully quiet with no closet door muffling their voices..
African-American & Homosexual references were used for pure example, i didn’t make offense so you can’t take offence..
AMEN to the last post.
It’s a joke that it is illegal. Its all about lobbying. quite fascinating on one hand that it’s $ and lobbying that influence this crap, but infuriating at the same time. I smoke marijuana regularly, am decently successful (upper middle class), happy, social, etc… there is nothing wrong with it. When on the other hand, we KNOW cigarettes are addictive and kill. And, personally I have had my best friend turn into an alcoholic and aside from gain a tremendous amt of weight and become suicidal, be at the mercy of a drug (alcohol) that she can’t get away from. Now, THAT was a scary thing to see … but that’s legal. What gives?
I’ve recently decided to put my $ where my mouth is and am looking for the best place to give to a legalizing marijuana campaign. I don’t know what is the best one though… so if you know, please post.
I think the more frequently you smoke marijuana the more likely you will be to smoke marijuana and tobacco together. It’s just too damn expensive to smoke pure marijuana everyday without at least ‘cutting’ it with tobacco.
Being a regular smoker myself I believe that amotivational syndrome only sets in from frequent use and sometimes smoking infrequently will actually motivate you to go out and do stuff while stoned. I think the problem with all these studies is that there are 100 ways to interpret the data which, in the end, make it meaningless.
jami,
the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws is a good place to start. Grassroots funding for marijuana advocation is always a good thing. Find and join a local chapter of NORML, attend rallies and information sessions, tell your friends/family/coworkers about the push to legalize marijuana. It doesn’t take money, it takes time and effort and convincing.
Marijuana is a great motivator, it makes orgasms about 10 times better, it makes you feel warm and fuzzy, you can easily smoke it every day and function very well in society. AND we don’t have to pay tax on it, it is way cheaper than alcohol.
All we need is good education about it, which we don’t get. Because the government is very corrupt.
Well every drug has its side-effects depending on the drug and the person.
Some people misuse drugs legal or not and some don’t. I don’t know why but it is the same with pot. Some people smoke too much pot others don’t.
Still I think it should be legal.
Pot puts me in a good mood, and it doesn’t have that much of a come-down unlike alcohol and caffeine.
I’m no crusader for pot though, I just think its a better recreational drug overall than the other legal drugs like alcohol and caffeine.
As for medicine, well I guess there is alot of evidence about its medicinal qualities. I don’t need it for medicinal reasons though. Its just fun getting stoned occasionally, and its a harmless thing to do. At worst, it will just make you seem like a goof. At best it can really enhance music, food, sex, and the outdoors.
Of course if you smoke all the time there might be some problems but it isn’t going to kill you like alcohol can.
HT
Well, it’s definitely a case of different strokes for different folks.
I find that smoking helps me stay seated for long enough to get large chunks of work done - although the spell checker has to be called to the front to do some tidying up more often than not.
I actually went for a long time smoking at work in the afternoon when I was busy with design and development work - but in the mornings admin would have been a nightmare.
Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em - but do so responsibly, if it’s making you feel terrible, then stop! Smoking is not exactly everybody’s cup of green tea.
If American colonist had gotten rich off of Cannabis plantations then Pot would be legal now and we would know the Carolina area as Marijuana Road. It is obvious through only a cursory analysis of the data that cigarettes are infinitely more harmful.
There just arent a bunch of old white dudes getting rich off of pot.
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I find it unbelievable that alcohol is legal and marijuana isn’t. Here we have alcohol, a drug that can result in aggressiveness, destruction of relationships and marriages, conflict, alcohol poisining, absolute stupidity, lack of mobility and consciousness of what the user is saying or doing and even death. Need I even mention that 50% of all road accidents are as a result of alcohol? Then we have marijuana, a drug that can’t be overdosed on, that induces peacefulness, happiness, relaxation and enjoyment of almost any activity. And my belief is that marijuana isn’t physically addictive. That is obviously a contentious comment but I believe addicted marijuana users are more addicted to the state it puts you in and the familiarity of being stoned rather than being something the body requires to function as in meth which forces the body to produce collosal amounts of dopamine.
Far from a pot activist, I smoke on average once or twice a week. Any more and it becomes tiresome and a nuisance for me. I try limit my smoking to being a social activity although it can be nice to just relax by yourself after a long day’s work. That said, I’m 19 and have obviously experimented with alcohol and pot. Absolutely without a shadow of doubt in my mind will I ever ever experiment with any other drug be it mushrooms, ecstacy or cocaine. My productivity is still average for someone of my age, I get decent grades and have perfect relationships with family and friends. Its appaling the lies the government feeds to its people about pot, does anyone recall that advert with the girl that talks to her dog? That must be pot laced with all kinds of ungodly chemicals if it made her talk her dog.
It’s time for marijuana to be legalized, plain and simple.
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I am from India and even here all Protocols are against the very word called WEED. I cannot deny the fact that many Creative & Stalwart people that I have been around with, use marijuana which is considered as a STIMULANT for creative thoughts and makes you tentatively ebulient in contrary to alcohol.
Instead of fighting a losing battle with the government to legalize marijuana, we can rather start off with educating the users(and the governing bodies on medical grounds) on how to use it and the aftermath because again perceptions are the root cause of every opposition.
Finally the first study I have ever seen that accurately depicts what the modern day youth marijuana experience is actually like. I wouldn’t hesitate to say the the situation in Switzerland is not much father away from what it is here. The laws and social status of Marijuana in Switzerland are much more relaxed than they are in America, but much of the statistics captured do mirror the trends that would appear had this study been done in America. I would say that the amount of those who do not smoke Marijuana at all is far far greater than Switzerland’s amount. I have a friend who actually was in Switzerland for sixth months during the school year attending another High School and he told me people smoked everyday at school around friends, something I found to be amazing.
I would say the trends would appear accurate at my school. There are many athlete “Marijuana Only” smokers who do not smoke cigarettes, and a small margin of those who do smoke cigarettes on occasion, i.e. when at a party randomly whilst intoxicated or after school on a Friday. There is also the margin of those who smoke marijuana and cigarettes. I would make an estimate and say that no less that 4/5 of those who smoke Marijuana and cigarettes on a daily basis are heavy users of the drug. Smoking daily in the afternoon and buying in weight personally.
That said, the trend lays out like this…
- There those in my school who do not smoke Marijuana at all.
- Those who do not smoke Marijuana but do attend parties to drink.
- Those who smoke Marijuana but do not smoke cigarettes (Smoking Marijuana usually on weekends for a recreational activity).
- Those who smoke Marijuana and do smoke cigarettes on occasion (Same usage of Marijuana as the previous category).
- Those who smoke Marijuana and cigarettes on a daily basis (Heavier user of both Marijuana and cigarettes).
- Those who smoke Marijuana
I would say that the amount of those who do not smoke Marijuana at all in my school is far far greater than Switzerland’s amount (Thus making the amount of Stoners far far less that Switzerland’s amount). I have a friend who actually was in Switzerland for sixth months during the school year attending another High School and he told me people smoked everyday at school around friends, something I found to be amazing.
It is a sad thing that there is such a common misconception on the use and abuse of Marijuana. I would say the group of people I know that smokes both Marijuana and cigarettes does very well in school. The group that probably does the worst with grades is about 1/2 of the Marijuana only smokers who are considered “jocks” by many. Certainly, I would say the drug is nothing short of benign in its physical and social effects.
yes, switzerland consumes alot of marijhuana!
-DISCLAIMER: I am neither supporting or demoting either the benefits or downfall of either drug in this instance-
Speaking from a purely scientific standpoint, this is a piss-poor experiment designed to glorify cannabis over tobacco use. The control should have been student who use neither, with control groups A,B, & C, cannabis only, tobacco only, and both. Also, it should have made sure to take the frequency of use into effect in regard to results.
I’m going to read through the entire study soon, but I have work to do right now.
Just thought you should all be aware to take a study this simple with more than a grain of salt.
I only smoke marijuana, evreyday. I dont touch alcohol or tobacco. I train jiu jitsu 5 times a week,have a full time job and attend college. Not bragging at all, just pointing out that the anti-marijuana commercials and ads are BOGUS. legalize it.
Jami:
There are a lot of places to get more information. Many National organizations are working toward Cannibis Legalization.
The one I’m a member of:
NORML: The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws: www.norml.org
the oldest and most widely recognized national marijuana policy reform institution.
The Drug Policy Alliance is one of the leading groups working to reform drug policy in America.
The Marijuana Policy Project is an activist and lobbyist organization. Their stated goal is to ‘minimize the harm associated with marijuana.”
SAFER has successfully pushed for marijuana reform in Denver and is now promoting a statewide initiative to equalize treatment of marijuana and alcohol in Colorado.
Students for Sensible Drug Policy is a nationwide network of students who want to make a difference in drug policy.
Stop the Drug War, part of the Drug Reform Coordination Network (DRCNet), offers news and analysis about various aspects of the drug war, and a marijuana news archive.
Change the Climate is an excellent organization that promotes honest and responsible drug policy.
The Campaign for the Restoration and Regulation of Hemp sponsored the Oregon Cannabis Tax Act.
Drug Sense is working to promote sensible drug policy in America.
Anyone looking for more information can go to the source, the original Hemp activist: Jack Herer, author of The Emperor Wears No Clothes. Here are links to all of the chapters of the book with the full text for free: http://www.jackherer.com/chapters.html
This book shows the history behind the movement, why we want to bring back a plant that can be used for Fuel, Fiber, Food, and Fun. It can be used for Building supples. Makes 4.1 times as much paper per acre than wood but does not require all the chemicals for processing - and the paper lasts longer, look at the draft of the US constitution, written on hemp paper. It actually builds up soil rather than depleting it. It sends it’s roots deep into the soil breaking it up while preventing erosion. I could go on but you can read it all for your self if you wish.
I do not smoke weed. Never have and probally never will, but, I know a lot of people who smoke it and have never notice any problems with behavior. Now, whith liquer i see a big change in behavior in people. I prefer to hang around a bunch of pot heads then a bucn of drunks.
Well I see it perfectly reasonable to legalize a weak Marijuana to be sold everywhere. Think about angry people being calm. No more drug dealer because the local 7/11 will have it.
That’s awesome. So, long story short: we should legalize marijuana? By the by, I wonder how they “legally” conducted this study…
If you’re a drudge fan: drudgetracker.com
more people smoking because stress
Marijuana is a form of relaxation, a form of indulgence.
Whatever your form of relaxation is enjoy what makes you happy.
Some slightly biased facts on the matter:
-You cannot overdose from weed
-You do not wake up with a hangover or body ache
-Weed makes you laugh and be hungry only
-It does not make you violent or want to do crime
-There is a very social and visible culture to weed (smoke shops, movies, music, cities dedicated to the culture) *Think Netherlands*
-It does not promote a desire to do other more harsh drugs
-It can make activities more heightened or promote no activities and prove to be relaxing
-Not as expensive as alcohol and nobody has lost their house or gone into financial trouble from recreational personal use.
Thank you.
Touche brother!
While amotivational syndrome may have some effect in the USA (where many people have that syndrome regardless of their smoking decisions), we need to recognize that since pot smoking is a social culture, and culture can only be truly appreciated with others around, that we are bound to see pot smokers stating that they have “great relationships”.
Afterall, anybody who smokes pot with you and doesn’t turn you in has earned your trust. We see the same kind of “camaraderie” between criminals on a regular basis. Just look at how most crime rings operate. Until there is immense pressure on a single party, no one is likely to report anything (and in that case, they clearly choose saving their own skin over saving someone else’s nearly every time).
I believe the opponents to cannabis should just try to realize that there is a world of things that are not good for us. Car exhaust, Excessive car use, Television, Computer games, Additives in food, Industrial waste .. the list is endless.
What matters is that the few people can choose wether to smoke or not - while a lot of the other bad things are just pushed upon us.
Let people decide what things that make their life good. Its nobodys business but their own - as long as they do not hurt others.
So “holy” wanna - be - gooders - and - decide - over - other - peoples - lifes you wouldnt want other people to force things upon you that you felt was what made your life better.. So dont do it to others either… Its even a very good christian behavioural model.
Its a matter of mutual respect. You live your life as you see fit and let others live their lives as they seem fit. Unless, of course, that youre so f…cking arrogant that you think you know what the meaning with everyones life is…
Just because a drug is illegal doesnt make people who use it evil or bad - but it categorizes them as criminals. Which, unfortunately, makes them bad / evil in the opinions of people who actually has no clue to what is right and wrong and what a democracy is really supposed to be: Which is space for differing opinions and ways of life.
When the real crime is the law sagainst living your own life and making your own decisions.
hi:) my boyfriend left me when i fell pg. i smoked all thru my pg 4 my own peace!!! my boy was delivered naturally and he is now 5 months. oh and he is very healthy. so, marijuana will always be in my life. it saved me from going insane when i was so lost. legalise it, its the only way to go!
[…] A study published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine was completed on 5,263 teena… […]
[…] studies that have been released in 2007 and 2008, this study boldly claims that it has found that marijuana use does not produce the fearful symptoms spread by anti-drug groups. The study seems to make a case that teenagers who use only marijuana, opposed to students who use […]
mary jane IS less of a drag than cigs… i would know. delightful news!
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Very nice site!
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