Deterioration of Academic Achievement and Marijuana Use Onset in Rural Adolescents
Kimberly L. Henry, Edward A. Smith and Linda L. Caldwell, “Deterioration of academic achievement and marijuana use onset in rural adolescents,” Health Education Research 22, no. 3 (June 2007): 372-384.
Teens who use marijuana generally do less well in school than teens who don't. Prohibitionists often blame marijuana for poor school performance, but this study suggests that poor grades may be the cause, not the result, of teen marijuana use. The researchers write, "[S]tudents who demonstrate a deterioration of their academic achievement over time are more likely to start using marijuana."
Free abstract and full text for a fee are available at http://her.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/22/3/372
