As per a recent study, the use of marijuana has declined amongst high school students since it was legalized in Washington D.C.
The researchers observed that only one group of teenagers, the high school seniors who work for more than 11 hours per week use marijuana more often after its legalization.
The Marijuana use fell down significantly among the 8th graders, 10th graders, and 12th graders who didn’t work. On the other hand, there wasn’t any change in the high school seniors who work less than 11 hours a week.
In the Journal of Adolescent Health, the study was published.
The researchers were in search to understand whether legalization has made any difference in the consumption of marijuana in teens of grade 8th, 10th and 12th grade, who work in jobs, which does not involve household works, yard work or babysitting.
In post-legalization, it was reported 4.8percent of non-working 8th graders were using pot within the last 30 days, while 20.8 percent of their working peers did.
It was reported that amongst 10th graders, 13.9 percent were using marijuana within the last 30 days in 2016, versus 33.2 per cent of 10th graders who worked 11 or more hours per week.
For 12th graders, the difference was 20.5 percent working non-functioning, versus 36.7 percent. From the state’s biennial Healthy Youth Survey, the data was used by them for research.
Doesn’t matter in which grade students were in, those who worked 11 or more hours per week, they reported using marijuana more often than their non-working peers.
The study witnessed that teens who usually work come in contact with adults who aren’t their coaches, teachers, and parents, and they are often exposed to adult substance use.
Apart from this, working teens have more disposable income than their non-working connections.
It has been said in the study that the juveniles who work are usually exposed to adults who are not their coaches, teachers and parents, and are often exposed to the use of adult adults. In addition, working teenagers keep more disposable income than their non-working companions.
Janessa Graves, the lead author of the study explained, “Kids learn a lot by working, in terms of responsibility, but there are also pretty good data showing that kids who work engage in adult-like behaviors earlier. I would say this for any parent of working kids, it’s important to know the quality of management and supervision at your child’s job. Be thoughtful about the quality of a particular workplace.”
The study also recommended that employers can take action by advertising and accomplishing zero-tolerance policies of adult employees offering substances or supporting substance use to their adolescent co-workers.