10 Marijuana Myths and Facts (click on each to download a PDF version)

1. Marijuana is harmless.
2. Marijuana is not addictive.
3. Marijuana is not as harmful to your health as tobacco.
4. Marijuana makes you mellow.
5. Marijuana is used to treat cancer and other diseases.
6. Marijuana is not as popular among teens as Ecstasy or other drugs.
7. "If I buy marijuana, I'm not hurting anyone else."
8. "My kids won’t be exposed to marijuana."
9. There’s not much parents can do to stop their kids from experimenting with marijuana.
10. The government sends innocent people to prison for casual marijuana use.

(Courtesy of Office of National Drug Control Policy)

2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey

2005 National Survey on Drug Use & Health provides the latest data on prevalence and correlates of substance use, serious mental illness, related problems, and treatment in the civilian population aged 12 or older in the U.S.

In the past 30 days nationwide:

43.3% of students had had at least one drink of alcohol

20.2% of students had used marijuana one or more times with

8.7% of students had tried marijuana for the first time before age 13 years

12.4% of students had sniffed glue, breathed the contents of aerosol spray cans, or inhaled any paints or sprays to get high

8.5% of students had used hallucinogenic drugs

2.4% of students had used heroin

2.1% of students had used a needle to inject any illegal drug into their body4.0% of students had taken steroid pills or shots without a doctor's prescription

6.2% of students had used methamphetamines (also called "speed," "crystal," "crank," or "ice") one or more times during their life

Current tobacco use (minimum: 9.0%; maximum: 35.2%)

Current alcohol use (minimum: 15.8%; maximum: 49.2%)

Lifetime alcohol use (minimum: 32.9%; maximum: 80.2%)

Lifetime marijuana use (minimum: 15.5%; maximum: 45.2%)