Events A new study has found that teenagers who listen to music about marijuana are actively seeking it use. The study was based on data obtained on students in 959 ninth grades of secondary schools.
“Students who listened to music with marijuana as the main character were almost twice as likely to use the drug as their peers who were musical whose tastes are less focused on substance use songs,” says Dr. Brian Primack, lead author of the study.
“Interestingly, we also found that exposure to marijuana through music affects adolescents in this way, neither alcohol nor other drugs have such musical support and influence,” he added. “This suggests there's a real link between marijuana songs and marijuana use.”
Among the study participants, 12 per cent said they were currently using marijuana, and 32 per cent said they had previously tried the drug. The researchers analyzed the content of songs that students said they were listening to.
On average, each study participant listens to music for about 21.8 hours a week, and hears about 40 mentions of marijuana per day. In the study, experts also paid attention to demographic variables such as age, race, gender, and parents' education.
“It is possible that songs about marijuana actually provoke the use of marijuana, but it is also possible that people who already use it tend to listen to music, which sings about their passion,” Primack added.