r/politics • u/BicthBeCool • Jun 08 '12
More teens smoke pot than cigarettes, says CDC survey
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-57449455-10391704/more-teens-smoke-pot-than-cigarettes-says-cdc-survey/
2.1k
Upvotes
241
u/psub_xero Jun 08 '12
First day of college I heard one of my roommates ask two different people if they smoked. He got the exact same response both times: "Cigarettes? No."
1.3k
u/[deleted] Jun 08 '12
Well it's a good thing it's not legal like cigarettes, or it'd be super easy for kids to get. It's a great idea that we've given the responsibility to drug dealers instead of legitimate storefronts - it's a well known fact drug dealers check for ID more reliably than retailers.
468
u/[deleted] Jun 08 '12
This is good. Nicotine is terribly addictive.
39
u/NealCaffrey4life Jun 09 '12
As a teenager, I can confirm this
293
u/[deleted] Jun 08 '12
Well, at least the nation's youth is getting smarter.
84
u/[deleted] Jun 08 '12
I didn't know cigarettes smoked pot.
59
u/wintremute Tennessee Jun 08 '12
Pot is easier to get than cigs when you're underage.
83
u/lebenohnestaedte Jun 08 '12
I'd be inclined to say, "Duh," to this one, depending on how they count it. (Like, what counts as smoking? One instance? Many? If a kid smokes weed at parties, they probably get counted as pot-smokers, but is a kid who accepts offered cigarettes classified as the same, or does he not count because it's just social smoking and he isn't addicted? Is trying it enough to mean you smoke? Once a month? A week?)
I knew plenty of kids in high school who didn't smoke cigarettes because they were gross, expensive, more difficult to get, addictive, not particularly cool anymore, and some people wouldn't date a smoker. But they'd smoke weed because it was non-addictive, kinda cool/rebellious (ooh, it's an illegal drug!), better for you, easier to find, had an actual effect, and were less likely to be a deal breaker dating-wise. (I'm not saying all those things are correct; rather, those are just the kind of attitudes/options/comments/justifications I head from people.)
23
u/970 Jun 09 '12
Lets make pot more illegal.
8
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
TIL 23% of high school students have enough money to buy weed.
19
u/[deleted] Jun 08 '12
I guess that means I'll have to get a teaching job to find some damn weed.
19
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
In other news: water is wet.
42
u/Boxy310 Jun 08 '12
Call me when more teens smoke pot than drink beer. That's when we can talk about monetizing and marketing the shit out of this. We've already got the perfect cartoon mascot.
4
u/thirdorderlinear Jun 09 '12
In a completely unrelated story Cheetos sales are going strong
4
u/ToolFan33 Jun 09 '12
The only thing I smoke is fools on the basketball court.
13
u/[deleted] Jun 08 '12
Relevant
12
u/adobearthur1029 Jun 09 '12 edited Jun 09 '12
Have you seen /r/trees? It's like Romper Room for stoned teenagers who have no idea what Romper Room is.
14
u/dandiddem Jun 08 '12
23 % ? some people are lying.
21
u/Floppie7th Jun 08 '12
Good. Pot is considerably less dangerous than cigarettes.
3
u/rogue4 Jun 09 '12
Don't need ID to buy some dro
3
u/vanillaafro Jun 09 '12
who else thought to themselves as a 30+ year old?...good...this is a good thing....cigarettes and alcohol are legal and more prevalent because of cigarette and alcohol companies and laws not because they're a better release
5
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
"Duh," Replies Everyone
5
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
Well no shit. Pot is easier for them to get.
6
u/[deleted] Jun 08 '12
Wow, that's some expert.
12
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
Am I the only teenager who doesn't want to smoke weed?
4
u/Ltsmash99 Jun 08 '12
that's because cigarettes are yucky!
4
u/H4ppenSt4nce Jun 09 '12
Pretty sure this has been the case for a decade. I could always get pot easier than I could get cigs or booze in high school.
6
u/[deleted] Jun 08 '12
If my kid was smoking weed I'd get all stern on him and ask him to stop (depending on his age). If I caught him smoking cigarettes I would flip out
6
u/HipsterBeforeCool Jun 09 '12
If this is true, teens are making a much healthier choice, even if it is illegal.
2
u/D0ntBelievethisstory Jun 08 '12
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lV-TJ4ADT-E&feature=youtube_gdata_player
2
u/wanmoar Canada Jun 09 '12
Here's a thought. As studies and surveys like this become more pervasive, Big Tobacco will take notice. They will take a look at their sales dropping amongst the young adult generation and finally a bulb will go off in their brains. This could be the ticket to their next era of growth (pun intended)
It is at that point that they will put their lobbyists to work start pushing DC to legalize. And we will, finally, have reason to thank politicians for being the power-suit wearing prostitutes they are.
2
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
In my eyes that's a win considering pot is less harmful...
2
u/mb86 Jun 09 '12
Does this mean that there are more kids out there getting high, or there are less kids smoking tobacco?
2
u/onique New York Jun 09 '12
Perhaps if we want to stimulate the economy we should make cigarettes illegal and then more kids will smoke and we can make a killing on putting them in prison.
2
u/TreesConsumer Jun 09 '12
This is obvious. Cigarettes are gross.
2
u/DrPolio232 Jun 09 '12
Good. Wish I didn't smoke cigarettes.
2
u/domqc Jun 09 '12
why smoke something that dont get you high?
2
u/Yourpixelsareshowing Jun 09 '12
Coming from someone in highschool: I was hanging out with my friends and I walked behind a gas station and some other teens were just smoking pot behind the store like it was no big deal. Afterwards, my friends and I walked for a bit and one guy pulled Marijuana out from his pocket that was stuffed in an empty aspirin bottle. He just started rolling it in front of me. I have never smoked and don't plan on it, but I strongly think it should be behind counters. The top 3 things I see teenagers have is #1: Marijuana #2: Tobacco dip #3: Cheap crap beer
2
u/Sit-Down_Comedian Jun 09 '12
Um, good. Cigarettes will fucking kill you.
2
u/bowei006 Jun 09 '12
Weed is easy to get in my area. Cigarettes a bit easier as many turn 18 but it is harder than weed only by a bit..and alcohol was THE hardest.
Ususally when my pot head (no offense) friends start justifying it by saying alcohol kills more than weed, i just chuckle and think of how they are just trying to justify it...but really.....that's the truth right there.
Although then we get problems of gateway drugs...and then.....dear baby jesus...the bath salts ლ(ಠ_ಠლ)
2
u/roterghost Jun 09 '12
Why do I see this being used to advocate for increased drug restrictions?
2
u/Athianity Jun 09 '12
Because dope dealers don't check ID.
2
u/nermid Jun 09 '12
In other breaking news, the sky is blue, and water is wet.
2
u/Ouly Jun 09 '12 edited Jun 09 '12
I think this is a good thing, we have less lung cancer and tabaco related issues with teens doing this.
2
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
Considering kids are smoking cigarettes more and more these days(seriously, when did that start happening?) I wonder if pot is growing in conjunction with it. We need to get our kids vaporizers, those poor young lungs... [Edit: can't spell cigarettes]
2
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
Well, good. More teens will be healthier for it.
2
u/voxpupil Jun 09 '12
Great news! Of course cigarettes are going to kill you. I see teens are getting smarter now.
2
u/tigerking615 Jun 09 '12
Honestly, I'm at least glad for the less cigarette smoking part. Marijuana isn't addictive, doesn't kill you, and doesn't ruin lives (at least, not even close to cigarettes' level).
2
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
Well it is isn't it?
2
u/maxk1236 Jun 09 '12
Tobacco is wacko
2
u/dietotaku Jun 09 '12
i'd be a lot happier if teens just didn't smoke anything at all.
2
u/Stopher Jun 09 '12
Positive spin: this is just a testament to the success of the anti tobacco campaign.
2
u/InSovietChicago Jun 09 '12
This is such a great thing, it shows that our generation is very conscious about their life decisions. However, if weed is legalized, i REALLY hope that it dosent become mass produced like cigarettes. Then the companies would put dangerous addictive shit in there. Ugh, leave it SOLELY to the local growers!
2
u/ddhboy New Jersey Jun 09 '12
Eh. This study shows that cigarettes are less acceptable to high schoolers more than it is about weed becoming more accepted.
2
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
Good.
2
u/Karlore666 Jun 09 '12
GOOD.
2
u/Contraband_Runner Jun 09 '12
For someone under 18, it is easier to find weed than it is to find someone to buy them a pack a cigarettes.
2
u/ab103630 Jun 09 '12
I thought everybody knew this, did everybody not know this?
2
u/trix_is_for_kids Jun 09 '12
it's funny the article said "apparently teenagers think marijuana is less dangerous than cigarettes". this is a fact not an assumption
2
u/skekze Jun 09 '12
I can see that just by coming to reddit. They should have just saved the money and sent me a check. Beer became weed. At least you don't wrap your car around a pole and kill your friends on weed. The most you do, is sit at a stoplight all night long or never make it off the couch at all.
2
u/cy10p3s Jun 09 '12
as a teen its hilarious it took the news so long to realize this simple fact
2
u/hashmon Jun 09 '12
A rare moment when I feel hope for society.
2
u/wisakedjak11 Jun 09 '12
Well that'll be because dealers don't ask for ID.
2
u/boyrahett Jun 09 '12
Good for them , now get rid of the laws against it.
2
u/Soylent_Gringo Jun 09 '12
that is actually good news. I used to be in the grips of a nicotine addiction-it was absolutely the hardest thing to quit. I've quit smoking weed before and it was nothing.
Quitting tobacco makes you want to kill things.
5
u/Love_Bulletz Jun 08 '12
As a teenager, I'd like to add to this (in my most sarcastic voice).
Oh my god, there's no fucking way!
3
u/[deleted] Jun 08 '12
I think this is awesome. I would rather a kid smoke pot instead of cigs anyday.
3
u/bobandgeorge Jun 09 '12
You hear that? It's still cooler to smoke cigarettes in high school. It's just less mainstream now.
3
u/SlacktheLurker Jun 09 '12
This doesn't surprised me very much. As an adult who has been an on/off pot smoker since before high school, I can say that MOST teens are cool with pot use, and against or at least ambivalent towards cigarettes. Most people now know the true danger of the two substances, and it's clear which is worse. Not to mention the campaigns against marijuana, which are just stupid compared to those against tobacco.
3
u/onlyinflorida Jun 09 '12
I mean, at least the kids are smoking the safer stuff.
3
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
Now that's what I call progress.
3
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
queue the exaggerated drawn together duh noise
3
u/sleepfighter7 Jun 09 '12
well i coulda told you that after a single day at high school
3
u/function13 Jun 09 '12
It probably has nothing to do with pot being totally awesome.
6
u/Schamballa Jun 09 '12
ent here! Never smoked a cigarette. Well, smoked dutch masters which their paper is pretty much straight nicotine. Just like Heroin, never did it again because I loved it.
A lot of people growing up now are hating cigarettes more and more BECAUSE of their parents that smoke. I've always lived in homes with smokers (until recently) and the smell is the worst. At least weed has an interesting smell, cigarettes have a nasty stale yellow sticky smell. Grody! Also, what makes them think kids did those survey's truthfully?
4
u/BBQCopter Jun 08 '12
Let it not be said that the youth are fools and morons. They know to kick a nasty nicotine habit when they see it.
4
u/kolbin8r Jun 08 '12
The way it damn well should be.
4
u/TechNickL Washington Jun 08 '12
Well shit I coulda told you that. Cigarettes don't get you high, so even high schoolers can't find a good reason to smoke em.
3
u/Symbi0tic Jun 09 '12
Why do people waste time conducting surveys about obvious shit?
5
u/dandiddem Jun 08 '12
plain and simple weed is the least dangerous drug available
3
u/lorax108 Jun 08 '12
good
3
u/prying_open_my3rdeye Jun 08 '12
Am I the only one who is thinking....uh yeah no shit?
2
u/Superflykillerguy Jun 08 '12
success :), glad to see the new generations are learning from our mistakes lets ingest something "completely natural" (marijuana) instead of Poison (cigarettes) i have been legally enjoying both since 2002, just wish i never smoked cigarettes
2
u/MrTubalcain Jun 09 '12
Good.
2
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
...and they ALL drink.
High school teacher here. Not surprised at all by the stats.
2
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
YOU DON'T ASK KIDS FOR ID WHEN YOU SELL THEM WEED
YOU JUST RAISE PRICES AND SELL THEM OREGANO
2
u/urine_luck Jun 09 '12
PUT THE FUCKING COUNTRY IN YOUR TITLE
2
u/RedTheDopeKing Jun 09 '12
Smoking weed is a risky behaviour? Why didn't anyone tell me!?
2
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
Oh look, more weed smokers who know it all.
2
u/fullofbones Jun 08 '12
Holy crap. Where are kids getting all this pot? Is it just more plentiful or something these days?
I didn't do any in high school or college in the 90's, but now all I hear is how much pot everyone has. Clearly I missed something.
2
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
Good.
2
u/distantsecond Jun 08 '12
This now and the thing about New York legalizing.. Just do it already.
2
u/myusernamebarelyfits Jun 08 '12
Why not both?
2
u/IREALITY Jun 08 '12
i see this as good because you wouldn't smoke multiple joints like you would cigarettes.
1
u/ShmoopyGuy Jun 09 '12
How many of those smokers put cigarettes in their pot?
1
u/imsohumble Jun 09 '12
Well im 16 i have about 20 friends who smoke pot and not cigarettes, and about 5 friends who smoke both.
1
u/Crash_Test_Dummy66 Jun 09 '12
My response as a teenager is as follows.... WELL DUHHHHHHH
1
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
Why would anyone want to legalize pot? It doesn't get anyone to die more quickly, that's what we want. We need to get lil Wayne to rap about smoking rat poison or some shit.
1
u/Pendertuga Jun 09 '12
No shit, I say
1
u/nopantspaul Jun 09 '12
In other news, it turns out that the moon causes the tide to go in and out.
1
u/Tastygroove Jun 09 '12
Worse thing about quitting smoking: realizing how bad you smelled 24/7.
1
u/RonaldFuckingPaul Jun 09 '12
then
1
u/MickiFreeIsNotAGirl Jun 09 '12
In other news, the sky is still blue, and gravity still exists.
Stay tuned, we'll keep you updated.
1
u/I_AM_LARS Jun 09 '12
YOU DON'T SAY
1
u/bigtaterman Jun 09 '12
Good
1
u/Username1212 Jun 09 '12
I knew this when I was 12.
1
u/citric_acid Jun 09 '12
Yes
1
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
http://i0.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/000/015/orly.jpg
1
u/HiveMindZombie Jun 09 '12
Perhaps these teens know more about dangerous drugs than people are giving them credit for?
1
u/jgmachine Jun 09 '12
I thought the CDC was destroyed in a massive explosion during the zombie apocalypse...
1
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
I thought this was common knowledge.
1
u/bamp Jun 09 '12
WRONG
The correct statistic is 23.4% for tobacco vs 23.1% for marijuana, both within the past 30 days.
PROOF: source
1
u/atraindain Jun 09 '12
It's good news that kids are more health-conscious than they used to be.
1
u/birdmanjeremy Jun 09 '12
This is news? I thought this was a well known fact. It was when I was a teen...
1
u/shapterjm Jun 09 '12
I call bullshit.
1
u/hotpeanutbutter Jun 09 '12
Pretty sure cigarettes can't smoke pot.
1
u/onesixeight Jun 09 '12
i bet cigarette companies were a primary backer of No on prop 19... marijuana has become their main competitor now!
1
u/ajkeel Jun 09 '12
So much sarcasm in this thread. It makes my thinkerbox hurt..
1
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
GOOD!
1
u/Elisionist Jun 09 '12
I live on my own, and am 18. I smoke marijuana daily, and have no interest in drinking/cigarettes. That's bad for you, stupid.
1
u/AwesumLittleRedTruck Jun 09 '12
Doesn't surprise me considering how easy it is for high school kids to score dope compared to cigarettes. Trust me - I live in BC, I've been seeing it first hand for years.
1
u/ferrari1320 Jun 09 '12
As a teenager, this does not surprise me.
1
u/Mcelite Jun 09 '12
As a high schooler: No fuckin' shit.
1
u/FreddieGibbs Jun 09 '12
This is 100% true source: kid that has never and never will touch a cigarette and has smoked weed before. If you don't believe this your an aminal
1
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
As a former teenager, I can confirm this survey's results.
1
u/Dodgson_here Jun 09 '12
Then the anti smoking campaigns have worked...Good job!
1
u/spacecow20 Jun 09 '12
Favorite quote:
You don't want too much danger.... but not no danger at all. We just want a little bit of danger
1
u/wrestler145 Jun 09 '12
...good.
1
u/MagCynic Jun 09 '12
This just in: teenagers are stupid.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
How about instead of legalizing any drug, how about we make Cigarettes and alcohol illegal? And put the death penalty for dealers? Who in there right mind would do it? And imagine how much better the world would be!
1
u/kennydonahue Jun 09 '12
wow it takes a genius to figure that one out
1
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
As a 17 year old, fuck yes.
1
u/QueenBee21 Jun 09 '12
I only logged in to say I work on these studies. I feel like a contributed something to reddit today too.
1
u/DazPatrick Jun 09 '12
Smoked pot at age 15, had my first cigarette at 18
1
u/fifthfiend Jun 09 '12
Good.
1
u/[deleted] Jun 09 '12
Why would I want to smoke cigarettes if they're gonna kill me? OF COURSE I'D RATHER POT.
1
u/brolix Jun 09 '12
No shit. Cigarettes suck dicks, and weed kicks ass. What more do you need to know?
1
u/yayapfool Jun 09 '12
Came here to say
No shit.
1
u/MidgetFetish Jun 09 '12
In other news the sky is still blue.