Compared to Distribution

an indicator guage with the arrow in the green the value is in the best half of communities.

an indicator guage with the arrow in the yellow the value is in the 2nd worst quarter of communities.

an indicator guage with the arrow in the red the value is in the worst quarter of communities.

Compared to Target

green circle with white tick inside it meets target; red circle with white cross inside it does not meet target.

Compared to a Single Value

green diamond with downward arrow inside it lower than the comparison value; red diamond with downward arrow inside it higher than the comparison value; blue diamond with downward arrow inside it not statistically different from comparison value.

Trend

green square outline with upward trending arrow inside it green square outline with downward trending arrow inside it non-significant change over time; green square with upward trending arrow inside it green square with downward trending arrow inside it significant change over time; blue square with equals sign no change over time.

Compared to Prior Value

green triangle with upward trending arrow inside it higher than the previous measurement period; green triangle with downward trending arrow inside it lower than the previous measurement period; blue equals sign no statistically different change from previous measurement period.

green chart bars Significantly better than the overall value

red chart bars Significantly worse than the overall value

light blue chart bars No significant difference with the overall value

gray chart bars No data on significance available

Teen Onset of Marijuana Use

Measurement Period: 2024

This indicator shows the average age when 12th graders who had ever smoked marijuana first started using it.

Why is this important?

During adolescence, brain development is not complete, particularly areas that control judgment and impulse control. Parts of the brain that drive desire to seek pleasure mature in early adolescence. Adolescent brains are capable of seeking pleasure, but are not fully equipped to weigh risks or to determine consequences. Due to the still developing brain, children and adolescents who use marijuana are more likely to become addicted to it.*

Marijuana intoxication can cause distorted perceptions, impaired coordination, difficulty thinking and problem solving, and problems with learning and memory. Many research studies have shown that marijuana's adverse effects on learning and memory can last for days or weeks after the acute effects of the drug have worn off. Chronic marijuana use can lead to addiction. Addictive behaviors may result in harmful effects on social functioning in the context of family, school, work, and recreational activities.

*Gogtay et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2004 May 25;101(21):8174-9

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