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Youth Marijuana Use

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Percent of Students Reporting Any Use of Marijuana in the Past 30 Days, All Available Years: by Grade, Race, Gender, and Region

201320162019
FemaleMaleTotalFemaleMaleTotalFemaleMaleTotal
Minnesota11thAfrican-American or Black15.7%20.8%18.3%15.1%17.5%16.2%11.4%15.8%13.6%
All Races Combined13.3%19.8%16.6%14.7%16.8%15.7%14.6%16.5%15.5%
Asian American4.9%9.2%7.0%6.6%7.7%7.1%6.6%6.3%6.5%
Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial23.0%28.1%25.5%25.0%22.4%23.8%23.0%21.2%22.2%
Hispanic/Latino19.9%25.2%22.6%18.6%20.8%19.7%14.4%16.6%15.4%
Native American43.4%28.1%34.7%36.4%29.3%32.4%26.8%30.3%28.5%
Pacific Islander*38.9%28.2%*28.1%29.3%**18.4%
White12.4%19.3%15.9%13.8%16.4%15.1%14.3%16.7%15.5%
8thAfrican-American or Black8.2%10.2%9.2%6.5%8.6%7.6%4.9%6.0%5.5%
All Races Combined4.7%5.7%5.2%4.3%4.9%4.6%4.1%4.4%4.3%
Asian American2.4%3.6%3.0%1.6%1.7%1.6%1.6%2.4%2.0%
Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial9.9%9.6%9.8%8.3%8.8%8.6%9.3%7.8%8.7%
Hispanic/Latino12.1%12.9%12.4%9.2%8.8%9.0%5.4%6.3%5.9%
Native American24.0%12.0%17.1%20.4%15.8%17.7%24.0%13.4%17.9%
Pacific Islander*20.0%13.9%**10.6%12.2%9.8%10.8%
White3.0%4.2%3.6%2.8%3.4%3.1%3.1%3.6%3.4%
9thAfrican-American or Black12.5%16.3%14.4%7.7%10.4%9.1%8.7%9.0%8.8%
All Races Combined8.6%10.2%9.4%6.9%6.6%6.8%7.6%7.4%7.5%
Asian American3.1%6.5%4.8%2.7%4.1%3.4%2.6%3.1%2.8%
Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial15.3%18.8%16.9%13.0%11.1%12.1%15.9%12.4%14.3%
Hispanic/Latino16.5%16.7%16.6%12.4%11.8%12.1%11.5%10.6%11.0%
Native American25.0%22.4%23.6%26.4%14.5%19.5%28.4%11.7%20.2%
Pacific Islander31.4%34.7%33.3%**9.8%14.3%12.5%13.2%
White7.0%8.4%7.7%5.5%5.3%5.4%6.2%6.7%6.4%
All GradesAfrican-American or Black11.8%15.3%13.6%9.2%11.4%10.3%7.8%9.4%8.6%
All Races Combined8.6%11.6%10.1%8.2%8.9%8.6%8.2%8.8%8.5%
Asian American3.4%6.5%4.9%3.5%4.3%3.9%3.2%3.7%3.5%
Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial15.1%17.7%16.4%13.9%12.9%13.4%14.9%12.8%14.0%
Hispanic/Latino15.6%17.6%16.6%12.6%12.8%12.7%10.1%10.5%10.3%
Native American28.2%18.8%23.0%26.0%18.2%21.5%26.5%16.3%21.2%
Pacific Islander18.2%30.4%25.2%16.9%16.3%16.6%15.3%11.9%13.2%
White7.3%10.4%8.9%7.1%8.0%7.5%7.4%8.5%8.0%
Metro11thAfrican-American or Black16.8%20.6%18.7%15.0%17.7%16.3%11.2%15.7%13.4%
All Races Combined15.0%22.7%18.8%15.6%18.4%17.0%15.8%17.6%16.7%
Asian American4.7%9.0%6.8%6.1%8.0%7.0%6.7%5.7%6.2%
Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial25.8%30.1%27.9%25.2%22.2%23.8%21.9%21.4%21.7%
Hispanic/Latino21.9%25.3%23.6%19.0%21.3%20.1%14.2%16.4%15.2%
Native American46.2%34.3%39.3%20.0%29.7%25.4%**28.3%
Pacific Islander*41.7%28.3%**31.4%**17.4%
White14.5%23.6%19.0%15.6%19.1%17.4%17.0%19.4%18.2%
8thAfrican-American or Black7.6%9.8%8.7%6.1%8.9%7.5%4.6%5.9%5.2%
All Races Combined5.0%6.7%5.9%4.1%4.9%4.5%3.7%4.1%3.9%
Asian American2.4%3.8%3.1%1.6%1.7%1.6%1.4%2.3%1.9%
Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial11.1%12.1%11.6%8.5%8.8%8.6%8.2%6.4%7.4%
Hispanic/Latino12.8%13.9%13.3%9.3%9.1%9.2%5.3%5.3%5.3%
Native American20.7%16.8%18.3%7.5%11.5%9.9%13.2%12.9%13.0%
Pacific Islander******11.1%6.1%8.3%
White3.2%5.0%4.1%2.5%3.2%2.8%2.8%3.5%3.1%
9thAfrican-American or Black13.3%16.9%15.1%8.4%9.9%9.1%8.5%9.4%8.9%
All Races Combined10.0%11.9%10.9%7.2%6.5%6.9%7.5%7.5%7.5%
Asian American3.0%6.1%4.5%2.6%3.5%3.0%2.6%2.9%2.7%
Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial18.2%20.2%19.1%13.5%11.5%12.6%15.3%11.2%13.4%
Hispanic/Latino18.7%18.1%18.5%13.7%11.1%12.4%11.6%12.6%12.1%
Native American31.0%24.5%27.9%12.5%6.8%9.3%19.6%7.8%13.7%
Pacific Islander*37.0%36.7%*****7.9%
White8.1%10.2%9.2%5.9%5.3%5.6%6.3%6.9%6.6%
All GradesAfrican-American or Black12.2%15.3%13.7%9.2%11.4%10.3%7.5%9.4%8.4%
All Races Combined9.8%13.4%11.6%8.5%9.3%8.9%8.3%9.0%8.6%
Asian American3.4%6.3%4.8%3.3%4.2%3.7%3.2%3.4%3.3%
Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial17.5%19.8%18.6%14.3%13.0%13.7%14.1%11.9%13.1%
Hispanic/Latino17.3%18.5%17.9%13.3%12.9%13.1%10.0%10.7%10.3%
Native American29.6%22.4%25.5%11.8%13.1%12.5%18.6%14.5%16.3%
Pacific Islander20.3%32.0%26.9%20.0%22.0%21.1%11.3%8.8%9.9%
White8.5%12.7%10.6%7.6%8.7%8.2%8.1%9.3%8.6%
Non-Metro11thAfrican-American or Black10.3%21.7%16.8%15.2%16.9%16.1%12.1%15.9%14.0%
All Races Combined11.5%16.7%14.1%13.7%15.1%14.4%13.2%15.3%14.3%
Asian American*10.6%8.3%9.6%6.1%8.0%6.4%9.5%8.0%
Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial18.3%25.0%21.7%24.7%22.7%23.7%24.6%21.0%22.9%
Hispanic/Latino16.5%25.2%21.0%18.1%20.2%19.1%14.7%16.9%15.7%
Native American42.5%26.1%33.3%41.2%29.2%34.5%27.3%29.8%28.5%
Pacific Islander********19.2%
White10.6%15.6%13.0%12.3%14.0%13.1%12.1%14.6%13.3%
8thAfrican-American or Black11.0%11.4%11.2%8.2%7.7%7.9%6.0%6.4%6.2%
All Races Combined4.3%4.6%4.5%4.6%4.9%4.7%4.7%4.7%4.7%
Asian American***1.8%1.6%1.7%2.5%2.9%2.7%
Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial8.3%6.2%7.3%8.1%8.8%8.5%10.9%9.7%10.4%
Hispanic/Latino11.0%11.4%11.2%9.1%8.4%8.8%5.5%7.9%6.7%
Native American25.0%10.0%16.7%25.0%17.6%20.8%26.3%13.6%19.3%
Pacific Islander*****5.4%**14.3%
White2.8%3.5%3.2%3.1%3.6%3.3%3.4%3.7%3.5%
9thAfrican-American or Black9.2%13.9%11.7%5.8%12.0%9.0%9.4%7.6%8.5%
All Races Combined7.1%8.5%7.8%6.6%6.8%6.7%7.7%7.3%7.5%
Asian American*9.0%6.8%3.7%8.8%6.2%2.6%3.9%3.1%
Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial11.1%16.9%13.9%12.2%10.7%11.5%16.7%14.1%15.5%
Hispanic/Latino13.1%14.9%14.0%10.7%12.6%11.7%11.2%7.5%9.4%
Native American22.7%21.8%22.2%31.7%17.2%23.2%30.5%12.6%21.7%
Pacific Islander**28.6%*****20.0%
White6.0%6.9%6.5%5.2%5.3%5.2%6.0%6.6%6.3%
All GradesAfrican-American or Black10.2%15.1%12.9%8.9%11.3%10.2%8.8%9.2%9.0%
All Races Combined7.4%9.6%8.5%7.9%8.5%8.2%8.2%8.7%8.4%
Asian American3.8%7.3%5.6%4.8%5.1%5.0%3.5%5.2%4.3%
Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial11.6%14.8%13.2%13.2%12.8%13.0%16.2%14.1%15.2%
Hispanic/Latino13.1%16.3%14.7%11.8%12.7%12.2%10.2%10.1%10.2%
Native American27.8%17.6%22.1%31.0%20.0%24.7%28.3%16.8%22.4%
Pacific Islander*28.3%23.0%12.9%11.1%11.8%21.9%15.2%17.3%
White6.3%8.5%7.4%6.7%7.3%7.0%6.8%7.9%7.4%

About the Indicator:

Current marijuana use is often assessed with measures of reported use in the past 30 days (30-day use). Students were asked about their use of marijuana, bud, weed, pot, hashish, hash, or hash oil.

According to the 2013 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 17.7% of 9th graders and 25.5% of 11th graders nationally reported any past 30 day marijuana use.

According to 2013 MSS data, compared to 8th, 9th, and 11th graders who reported past-30 day marijuana use, those who DIDN'T report marijuana use were 2.7 times less likely to report past-year suicidal ideation; 1.8 times less likely to report problems with feeling depressed in the past year; 1.6 times less likely to report feeling anxious in the past year; 2.5 times less likely to report self harm in the past year; 1.3 times less likely to report past-month bullying victimization; 2.3 times less likely to report not feeling safe in their neighborhoods; 2.1 times less likely to report not being able to talk to their parents about problems; and 2.5 times less likely to report their parents only care about them some, a little, or not at all.

On the other hand, compared to those students who DID report past 30-day marijuana use, those who DIDN'T report marijuana use were 1.9 times more likely to report better teacher-student relationships; 1.6 times more likely to report greater educational engagement; 1.8 times more likely to report that the adults in their communities care about them quite a bit or very much; and 1.4 times more likely to report weekly participation in community activities.

Further, those students who reported using marijuana monthly or more often were 1.9 times more likely to think that most students in their school also used marijuana monthly or more often, as compared to those who didn't use. The association was even stronger in the other direction: students who think most of their peers use monthly or more often were 6.6 times more likely themselves to report using marijuana that often.


"N/A" indicates that the data are unavailable or were not collected. "*" indicates the data are unreliable as a result of small sample sizes or other reasons.

Data Source: Minnesota Student Survey (MSS)

Description: The MSS is a confidential and anonymous self-administered survey given to students attending Minnesota public, charter and tribal schools. From 1995 to 2010, the survey was administered to students in 6th, 9th, and 12th grades. New in 2013, the survey was administered to students in 5th, 8th, 9th, and 11th grades. Trend data are now only available for 9th graders, and only for survey questions that did not change. Most schools elect to participate in the survey; in 2013, this included 84% of public schools in Minnesota.

Although the data are not presented here, the survey is also administered to area learning centers, juvenile correction facilities and private schools electing to participate.

Sponsored by: Minnesota Department of Education

Geographic Level: State, Region, and County

Aggregated data at the state and county level do not reveal disparities that may exist within a given geographic area.

Frequency: Data collected and reported every three years

Characteristics: The results of the MSS are also available at a county level. Data Privacy requirements mandate that data is presented in a manner such that no individual student can be identified through the presentation of the results. As part of the Data Privacy practices, the results are also presented in a manner that no individual school district could be identified through the results. Therefore, for counties that have only one school district, the results are not presented. Results are also withheld for counties in which the minimum number for student participation was not met.

The MSS is a “census” of schools, not a sample. The school districts get their own data. Fifth-graders were not asked all substance use questions. Some school districts do not participate, and student participation within the school district can vary widely. These data are self-reported.