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Age at First Use of Marijuana

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Percent of Students Reporting they First Smoked Marijuana at Age 13 or Younger, All Available Years: by Grade, Race, Gender, and Region

20132016
FemaleMaleTotalFemaleMaleTotal
Minnesota11thAfrican-American or Black7.5%12.0%9.8%7.0%11.9%9.4%
All Races Combined4.8%8.0%6.4%5.6%7.7%6.6%
Asian American1.8%5.1%3.4%2.4%4.1%3.2%
Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial10.5%13.4%11.9%12.7%14.7%13.7%
Hispanic/Latino12.5%15.4%14.0%10.3%14.7%12.5%
Native American31.0%24.3%27.2%34.1%22.9%27.9%
Pacific Islander**18.1%*14.7%13.3%
White3.7%6.8%5.2%4.3%6.1%5.2%
9thAfrican-American or Black12.1%17.5%14.9%7.0%9.9%8.4%
All Races Combined8.1%9.7%8.9%6.4%6.5%6.4%
Asian American2.9%7.0%4.9%2.4%3.7%3.1%
Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial16.5%19.6%18.0%12.7%12.3%12.5%
Hispanic/Latino17.8%18.9%18.3%12.7%13.4%13.1%
Native American34.6%27.8%31.0%30.0%18.5%23.3%
Pacific Islander*27.7%24.7%**3.9%
White6.1%7.2%6.6%4.8%4.8%4.8%
All GradesAfrican-American or Black10.0%15.0%12.5%7.0%10.7%8.8%
All Races Combined6.6%8.9%7.7%6.0%7.0%6.5%
Asian American2.3%6.1%4.2%2.4%3.9%3.1%
Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial14.2%17.1%15.6%12.7%13.3%13.0%
Hispanic/Latino15.6%17.3%16.4%11.7%14.0%12.8%
Native American33.3%26.5%29.6%31.6%20.1%25.0%
Pacific Islander15.9%26.2%21.6%8.3%9.5%9.0%
White4.9%7.0%5.9%4.6%5.4%5.0%
Metro11thAfrican-American or Black7.8%12.0%9.9%6.6%12.6%9.4%
All Races Combined4.5%8.4%6.4%5.5%8.0%6.8%
Asian American1.2%4.9%3.0%2.5%4.5%3.5%
Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial9.1%13.8%11.4%11.9%13.3%12.5%
Hispanic/Latino11.5%15.0%13.2%10.9%15.4%13.1%
Native American11.5%20.6%16.7%*21.6%20.9%
Pacific Islander**21.3%**13.9%
White3.5%7.2%5.3%4.3%6.5%5.4%
9thAfrican-American or Black12.8%18.3%15.5%7.0%9.4%8.2%
All Races Combined8.2%10.4%9.3%6.0%6.1%6.0%
Asian American2.8%6.7%4.7%2.3%3.0%2.6%
Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial17.4%20.0%18.6%10.7%11.3%11.0%
Hispanic/Latino17.3%18.5%17.9%12.9%12.7%12.8%
Native American31.6%22.2%27.0%14.3%12.3%13.2%
Pacific Islander**25.5%***
White5.8%7.7%6.8%4.7%4.6%4.6%
All GradesAfrican-American or Black10.4%15.4%12.9%6.9%10.7%8.7%
All Races Combined6.5%9.4%7.9%5.8%7.0%6.4%
Asian American2.0%5.8%3.9%2.4%3.6%3.0%
Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial14.1%17.4%15.7%11.2%12.1%11.6%
Hispanic/Latino14.9%16.9%15.8%12.0%13.9%13.0%
Native American25.3%21.6%23.4%16.3%15.5%15.8%
Pacific Islander*27.5%23.4%10.3%9.1%9.7%
White4.7%7.5%6.0%4.5%5.4%5.0%
Non-Metro11thAfrican-American or Black6.1%11.9%9.4%8.8%9.5%9.2%
All Races Combined5.1%7.6%6.4%5.6%7.3%6.4%
Asian American7.0%6.8%6.9%2.1%1.7%1.9%
Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial12.9%12.7%12.8%14.0%16.6%15.4%
Hispanic/Latino14.2%16.0%15.1%9.5%13.6%11.5%
Native American36.8%25.5%30.5%38.2%23.3%29.9%
Pacific Islander******
White3.8%6.4%5.1%4.4%5.8%5.1%
9thAfrican-American or Black9.3%14.9%12.3%6.7%11.4%9.1%
All Races Combined8.0%8.9%8.5%6.8%6.8%6.8%
Asian American3.0%9.2%6.4%3.1%9.0%5.9%
Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial15.3%19.0%17.1%15.4%13.6%14.5%
Hispanic/Latino18.4%19.2%18.8%12.6%14.2%13.4%
Native American35.8%29.5%32.3%36.1%20.7%27.0%
Pacific Islander******
White6.3%6.8%6.5%4.9%4.9%4.9%
All GradesAfrican-American or Black7.9%13.6%11.0%7.5%10.6%9.1%
All Races Combined6.7%8.3%7.5%6.2%7.0%6.6%
Asian American5.0%8.1%6.6%2.6%5.7%4.1%
Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial14.4%16.5%15.5%14.9%14.8%14.8%
Hispanic/Latino16.7%17.9%17.3%11.3%14.0%12.6%
Native American36.2%28.0%31.6%37.0%21.7%28.1%
Pacific Islander**18.6%5.3%10.0%8.2%
White5.1%6.6%5.9%4.7%5.3%5.0%

About the Indicator: According to the national 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 8.5% of 9th graders and 6.7% of 11th graders reported they first used marijuana before age 13 years. Nationally, 5.4% of white students, 10.6% of black students, and 10.9% of Hispanic students reported first using marijuana while younger than age 13.

N/A or * indicates that the data are unavailable or were not collected.

Counts by race/ethnicity may not equal the state total, as students were allowed to select all applicable categories.

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.