Cocaine In Colorado: Teen Marijuana Use Drops After Legalization But State Sees Spike In Other Drugs

Marijuana use among teens in Colorado has been on the decline since legislation passed making the drug legal for recreational use back in 2012. However, people 12 and older have reportedly been indulging in another Schedule I substance, according to the 2014-2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health released Tuesday.

The survey found cocaine use among Coloradans ages 12 and up increased by 2.57-percent in 2014 and continued to increase in 2015, up by 2.75-percent. Coloradans between the ages of 18 to 25 specifically had the sharpest increase of cocaine use, up 1.37-percent in the 2014-2015 report compared to data from previous years.

Marijuana use for adults 26 and older rose from 16.80-percent in 2013-2014 to 19.91-percent in 2014-2015. However, marijuana consumption among teens 12 to 17 saw a drop to 18.35-percent in 2014-2015 compared to the 20.81-percent reported in 2013-2014.

Researchers found the decrease in marijuana use among teens particularly surprising but were unable to explain the declining marijuana rate.

“I don’t have an explanation. This is somewhat surprising,” NIDA Director Dr. Nora Volkow told U.S. News. “We had predicted based on the changes in legalization, culture in the U.S. as well as decreasing perceptions among teenagers that marijuana was harmful that [accessibility and use] would go up. But it hasn’t gone up.”

While decreasing marijuana rates among teens in Colorado was pleasing to health officials and parents alike, the increasing cocaine consumption may signal that stronger efforts need to be taken in communities across the nation, Frances Harding, a director of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Center for Abuse Prevention, said in a statement to U.S. News.

“These increases signal the need for states and communities to continue working together, educating and training others on the dangers of cocaine use,” she said. “Pursuing a comprehensive prevention strategy has proven to be our most effective approach to address substance use issues.”

The report also said cocaine use across the nation had increased over the past two years. New Hampshire and Washington, D.C., had the highest amounts of cocaine use in 2014 and 2015, while Colorado came in third. The District of Columbia saw a 3.47-percent increase in cocaine use in 2014, but figures dropped in 2015 with only 3.19-percent of people 12 and up reportedly using cocaine. Meanwhile, New Hampshire had a 2.48-percent spike in cocaine in 2014 and further increased to 3.07-percent in 2015.