The Consumption of Cannabis among Young People Has Not Increased despite the Wave of Legalisation in the United States.

Those that oppose legalisation usually argue that greater permissiveness attracts more people to consume marijuana. On the contrary, those that call for regulation reject these types of messages, believing they are a myth that hinders the progress of their cannabis struggle. Fear that regulation would encourage consumption among adolescents arose in 1996, when California became the first place in the United States to regulate the product for medical purposes.

22 states and the District of Columbia have since followed in its footsteps. Regions such as Alaska, Colorado, Washington and Oregon have taken a step further and supported recreational use of the plant. Now, a study carried out by researchers from the BU School of Public Health in the United States, outlines that the new landscape of liberalisation has not led to an increase in the consumption of marijuana among young people.

In fact, according to the report, consumption among secondary school students has reduced significantly in relation to 15 years ago. In 2013, 40.7% of American adolescents said that they had smoked at some point, while in 1999 the figure stood at 47%. Furthermore, the team analysed data from surveys carried out during that period and found that access to the plant is not a factor that contributes to use.

In 2013 alone, between 70 and 81% of American school students said that it was quite easy to obtain cannabis. Consequently, those that abstain do so by choice, and not because it has been legalised or not.

These conclusions coincide with those obtained just a few months ago by the International Centre for Science in Drug Policy, which also analysed if recreational regulation has attracted more people to the sector. With the aid of tens of scientists and academics, the centre's researchers dismantled a complete series of myths that exist around cannabis; among them, that regulation increases consumption. Little by little, scientific evidence is allowing us to discover the true face of cannabis and legalisation.