Pot-smoking students 'perform better academically' than those who smoke tobacco

Marijuana smokers achieve better grades than cigarette smokers

Teenagers who smoke tobacco are more likely to commit crime, say experts



It is thought as tobacco has become more stigmatised, fewer intelligent students have started smoking it



People traditionally think of the students who smoke cannabis behind the school bike sheds as trouble makers.



But new research suggests they outperform tobacco smokers academically.



In one of the largest ever studies of substance use among teenagers, Canadian researchers discovered marijuana smokers achieve better grades than cigarette smokers.



Teenagers who smoke cannabis perform better academically than those who smoke cigarettes

The University of Toronto scientists examined trends in tobacco and marijuana use from 1981 to 2011.



‘In the past, cannabis use was associated with more problematic behaviours, but this trend has flipped’, said Dr Michael Chaiton, assistant professor in epidemiology and public health policy at the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health.



‘Youth tobacco users are likely to have poor academic performance and engage in socially deviant behaviours, like vandalism, theft or assault.’

The study, published in the Journal of School Health, saw researchers analyse survey data from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health’s Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey, including a total of 38,331 students.



The researchers found that marijuana use peaked about ten years ago but that use of the drug has become more normalised in recent years.



As a result, they say teenagers often see it as safer than tobacco.

Teenagers who smoke tobacco are more likely to be involved in vandalism, theft and assaults than those who smoke marijuana. They are also more likely to display other problematic behaviours

They believe that more intelligent students may be more likely to smoke marijuana as it is now less stigmatised than tobacco.



Tobacco smoking rates have also declined by about six per cent among teenagers in the last 10 years.



However, the researchers say smoking cigarettes has become a new signal of social deviation in this age group.



‘Youth smokers are becoming a more vulnerable population with high levels of substance use and mental health comorbidities,’ said Dr Chaiton, who is also a scientist at the Ontario Tobacco Research Unit.



The research also revealed that 92 per cent of teenage cigarette smokers also smoke marijuana and that 25 per cent of teenage marijuana users also smoke cigarettes.



However, 90 per cent of students in Ontario, Canada, do not use tobacco or cannabis and those who perform poorly academically are more likely to use both substances.



‘Drug prevention programmes should be aligned with student realities, which means acknowledging and addressing patterns of co-use,’ said Maritt Kirst, co-author of the study and assistant professor in social and behavioural health sciences at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health.

‘This study identifies which youth are most at risk and can help public health professionals tailor prevention programmes accordingly.’

