Report: 10% of NH Youths Use Marijuana

Ten percent of New Hampshire youths regularly use marijuana, according to a new report released last week.

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Services on Friday issued "Marijuana Use in New Hampshire," the fourth in a series of issue briefs highlighting rates and trends in substance misuse among children and adults. The brief says New Hampshire has one of the highest rates of marijuana use in the past month among 12 to 17 year olds, with about one in 10 adolescents (9.6 percent) reporting regular use, according to the 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

"This  is a disturbing finding,” Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Services Director Joe Harding said. "It is an alarming rate and well above the U.S. average of 7.6 percent of 12 to 17 year olds nationally reporting regular marijuana use. This underscores the need for us to collaborate with not only our partners in the field, but also businesses, law enforcement, the medical field, and schools to implement proven strategies to prevent youth use of marijuana."

But some say the study is just an example of "fear mongering." In a blog post for Patch, Sarah Levesque of Wilmot said the rate of marijuana use among New Hampshire youths is actually lower than the rate (11 percent) of youths who reported having participated in binge drinking in the past month.

The New Hampshire House of Representatives last week gave preliminary approval to legalizing recreational marijuana use. It still must pass the Senate, and even if it does, Gov. Maggie Hassan has said she'll veto the bill.

To read the full "Marijuana Use in New Hampshire" brief, click here.