Vt. has highest rate of pot smokers

Vt. has highest rate of pot smokers

By Brent Curtis Staff Writer - Published: June 5, 2009

Vermont ranked highest nationwide for marijuana use in a new survey released Thursday by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

The survey, conducted in 2006 and 2007, compares drug use by age and by type across all 50 states.

While Vermont doesn't have the highest level of drug use â?? that distinction goes to Rhode Island where 12.5 percent of the populace reported illicit drug use in the past month â?? the Green Mountain State was cited in the report for having the highest incidence rate of marijuana use among people aged 12 and older.

While the national average for marijuana use was 1.6 percent in 2006 and 2007, use of the drug in Vermont was 2.5 percent during the same time frame.

That's nothing new, according to researchers at the SAMHSA, who said Thursday that Vermont has consistently ranked high for marijuana use.

Marijuana's popularity in Vermont is also reflected in the number of criminal cases connected with its use.

Between 2005 and 2007, the number of marijuana-related criminal cases in the state increased from 1,535 to 1,820, according to Max Schlueter, director of the Vermont Criminal Information Center. That trend took a downward turn in 2008, Schlueter said, when only 1,805 marijuana cases were investigated in the state.

Other illegal drugs, including cocaine and painkillers, also saw more use in Vermont than the nationwide average â?? a characteristic common to every Northeastern state, SAMHSA researchers found.

But marijuana has remained the state's drug of choice, according to Dr. Peter Delany, director of the Office of Applied Studies at SAMHSA.

The reason, Delany said, may relate to the perception that there is little risk to using the drug as evidenced by survey results that found as many as three-quarters of Vermonters have few concerns about the drug's health risks.

"I think there's a need there for a true public health approach," he said. "Are they reaching the right groups with the right message? You need a consistent message â?¦ so people know it's not good to use drugs and abuse alcohol."

The SAMHSA study, released annually, tries to give states, law enforcement, health care providers, educators and others the tools they need to refine their messages about illicit drug use and its effects, Delany said.

"We try to provide a snapshot of what's going on," he said.

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Everybody I've known from the NorthEast was a pothead. I've known that since 1969....:greenthumb:

Too bad we have to wait until 2020 to put the question on the census questionaire. One point six percent of Americans smoke marijuana? I find that figure to be extremely low since Americans hate answering truthfully questions about their illegal activities. I'd say a minimum of 10% of Americans smoke marijuana if not more due to true closet dwellers. :jointsmile: