Trends in Self-Reported Marijuana Use among Teenagers --
Canada, 1981-1983
In February 1983, the Canadian Gallup Poll Ltd. carried out a
national survey of 12- to 19-year-old Canadians on behalf of the
Health Promotion Directorate of Health and Welfare Canada (1).
Among
other things, respondents were asked to answer a number of
questions
regarding their use of marijuana. These questions were identical
to
questions asked in earlier surveys. Following is a comparison to
the
findings of the earlier surveys.
The sampling design incorporated stratification by six
community-sized groups based on 1976 census of Canada data. The
population was arrayed in geographic order by community size and,
within these classifications, by enumeration area. Approximately
200
enumeration areas were selected. The overall sample was designed
to
be representative of 12- to 19-year-olds living in Canada, although
the number of 18- to 19-year-olds was augmented using the monthly
Gallup Poll Omnibus Survey. Within the selected enumeration areas,
Gallup interviewers were instructed to administer seven
questionnaires
according to the following quotas: three with 12- to 14-year-olds;
three with 15- to 17-year-olds; and one with 15- to 19-year-olds.
Three were to be male, and four, female.
A total of 1,419 12- to 19-year-olds completed a
self-administered
questionnaire. In addition to cannabis use, the questionnaire
covered
perceptions of the risks and benefits of cannabis use, perceptions
of
the prevalence and changes in the use of marijuana in Canada,
attitudes toward use, and awareness of messages regarding marijuana
use. Similar topics were covered for alcohol and tobacco.
The earlier studies with which the 1983 study is compared were
carried out in 1981 and 1982 for Health and Welfare Canada by
Gallup
using Gallup's Young Omnibus Survey, which is done in May of each
year
(2,3). The sampling procedures used were similar to those used in
the
1983 study, except that the sample of 18- to 19-year-olds was not
augmented. The 1982 survey covered alcohol and tobacco, as well as
marijuana, whereas the 1981 survey dealt only with marijuana.
While
there were variations in questions asked on the surveys, all three
asked identical questions about marijuana use. In all cases,
results
were weighted by age and sex to match national estimates.
There were statistically significant declines in all
frequencies
of self-reported marijuana use between 1981 and 1983, with the
exception of daily use, where the decline was not statistically
significant (Table 3). There were also statistically significant
declines from 1981 to 1982 in all frequencies except daily use, and
a
significant decline in use in the last 30 days between 1982 and
1983.
Greater declines appeared to take place between 1981 and 1982 than
between 1982 and 1983, although it is possible that greater
differences would have appeared between the two latter years had
the
1983 survey been carried out in May rather than February. In any
case, these findings strongly suggest that there has been a recent
decline in marijuana use among Canadian teenagers.
Editorial Note
Editorial Note: Other data are consistent with those presented
here.
For example, surveys carried out among Vancouver secondary
schoolchildren between 1970 and 1982 (4) showed declines in
self-reported use of cannabis in the last 6 months and last 30 days
between 1978 and 1982. Similarly, studies of students in grades
7-13
in Ontario carried out since 1977 found a decline in reported
cannabis
use in the past year between 1981 and 1983 (5). In addition,
national
surveys of U.S. high school seniors carried out between 1977 and
1982
found declines in self-reported annual, monthly, and daily
marijuana
use (6) since 1980. Concerns about health and strong peer pressure
against use have been reported as factors reponsible for the
declines
(7).
It is possible that the declines are only apparent as more
young
people are becoming increasingly reluctant to admit using cannabis.
However, there is no reason to believe this, since the three
Canadian
surveys were carried out independently and in such a way as to
preserve the confidentiality of the responses. Thus, it seems
reasonable to conclude that there has in fact been a real decline
in
recent use of marijuana by Canadian teenagers. Whether this
decline
is due to a secular trend or the influence of educational and other
programs is, however, difficult to determine.
Reported in Chronic Diseases in Canada 1984;5:8-9 by WJ Bradley, N
Jennings, Analytical Svcs Div, Information Systems Directorate, W
Millar, I Rootman, Health Promotion Directorate, Health and Welfare
Canada.
References
Canadian Gallup Poll. Study among young Canadians. Ottawa:
Health Promotion Directorate, 1983.
Canadian Gallup Poll. Summary of results: Gallup Young
Omnibus
Survey. Ottawa: Health Promotion Directorate, 1982.
Canadian Gallup Poll. Gallup Young Omnibus Study. Ottawa:
Health Protection Branch, 1981.
Hollander M, Davis BL. Trends in adolescent alcohol and drug
use
in Vancouver, Vancouver. Alcohol and drug programs, Ministry
of
Health, January 1983.
Smart R, et al. Preliminary report of alcohol and other drug
among Ontario students in 1983, and trends since 1977.
Toronto:
Addiction Research Foundation, 1983.
Johnston L, et al. Student drug use: attitudes and beliefs.
National trends, 1975-1982. Rockville, Maryland: National
Institute on Drug Abuse, 1982.
Johnston L. Teenage drug use. ISR Newsletter. Institute for
Social Research, The University of Michigan, Autumn 1983, p. 3.
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