Curious about the news you get... (1 Viewer)

[jbutler]

just consider: what percentage of 30 year olds do you think had used marijuana in 1965? those 30 year olds are 80 years old today.

 

[BGinGA]

Not that many. Much higher numbers for 15-25 year olds back then, who are now 65-75. I grew up in that era, and the'older generation' parents -- even 30-year-olds - were pretty conservative -- many considered pot to be an evil that lead to harder drugs. I think the numbers for anybody currently older than 75 are pretty low.

 

[jbutler]

Not that many. Much higher numbers for 15-25 year olds back then, who are now 65-75. I grew up in that era, and the'older generation' parents -- even 30-year-olds - were pretty conservative -- many considered pot to be an evil that lead to harder drugs. I think the numbers for anybody currently older than 75 are pretty low.

well, yeah, obviously the numbers were likely higher for younger people, but what do you think is the realistic figure for 75+ year olds now? do you really think it's 0% as you mentioned earlier?

 

[BGinGA]

I'd venture well below 5% for 80+. Most of the people in that age group simply were not exposed to it when young enough to be tempted. My mom is 81; we almost had her talked into trying some brownies during a college visit, but my dad shut that idea down pretty quick.

 

[jbutler]

I'd venture well below 5% for 80+. Most of the people in that age group simply were not exposed to it when young enough to be tempted. My mom is 81; we almost had her talked into trying some brownies during a college visit, but my dad shut that idea down pretty quick.

I'll take a look at the general social survey data when I'm back in my office sometime later today, but I would be pretty shocked if it were "well below 5%". I don't think they track use, but I know they track opinion on legalization back to 1972.

 

[slisk250]

I'd probably agree with that number. I'm thinking the big group of potheads were in high school beginning in 1968 through the 80s.

 

[abby99]

I'd be really surprised if more than a small percentage of pre-baby boomers have smoked pot. Other than those living in San Francisco, that is. Cocktails were all the rage.

Edit: Added the "pre" that was missing from my original post.

 

[jbutler]

I'd be really surprised if more than a small percentage of baby boomers have smoked pot. Other than those living in San Francisco, that is. Cocktails were all the rage.

Small? Agreed. Well below 5%? I am doubtful.

 

[slisk250]

Interesting side bar to this derail - I've lived in Holland, Arizona, Colorado, & Saudi. Some places tolerate drugs and then, well...some don't. When I lived in Holland and Colorado, I didn't really meet too many people that I would call pot smokers. The other two places have some of the most harsh drug penalties and I run into a far higher (pun intended) group of people. Yes, the sample size is perhaps statistically insignificant, however, it is ironic and damn amusing at the same time.

Rerail - The warnings and travel restrictions that the United States Embassy have communicated to it's citizens in Kingdom here are reliable for sure and delivered to my inbox. I can trust those news sources. Some cities are banned for travel and now I have to find a new fish and shrimp monger for the fall harvest. These terrorists are now cramping my style. No jumbo shrimp at the November Turkey Shootout? F@ck! There is a 1,000,0000 USD bounty on the Dammam Mosque bombers. That one should be a gong show. I bet there are some who would out their mom for that kind of cash over here. It's friggin' crazy.

 

[Mental Nomad]

Well, let's not be too quick, here... a little history, please!

Before the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 was passed, cannabis/hemp were legal in the USA. Cannabis was smoked, but was also a folk remedy, and often an ingredient in things like cough syrup. From the turn of the century through the roaring 20's, it was strongly associated with early jazz clubs and musicians. As late as 1950, there were thousands of pounds of cannabis growing wild (and cultivated) out in the open in the boroughs of New York City - there's a reason it's called "weed." It wasn't stamped out until the early 50's.

So some people in the older group of 75+ may have been kids before marijana was demonized and stamped out. Might be a lot more smokers there than you think. Age 65 was born around 1950... every year older is a year deeper into the pre-demonization era.

 

[jbutler]

the GSS provides the below data with relation to opinions of adults from 35 through 52 years of age in the years 1972 through 1975 concerning the legalization of marijuana:

note the very small sample size. you could argue the numbers here upward or downward, i suppose (upward: many users - particularly in the days before socially libertarian attitudes based on principal over practice - don't believe their drug of choice should be legal; downward: many who advocate legalization have no interest in using drugs), but that's what's available.

another interesting graph from this study shows numbers incredibly higher than those reported by CNN and which fall much more in line with my anecdotal experience.:

unfortunately there's no data in that report for ages over 45, but it certainly supports the argument that the CNN numbers are somehow artificially low.

i would imagine that if anyone wants to devote some time to googling they could find figures for use of older adults, but i don't have the time today to do it.

 

[abby99]

I'd be really surprised if more than a small percentage of baby boomers have smoked pot. Other than those living in San Francisco, that is. Cocktails were all the rage.

Oops, that was supposed to be pre-baby boomers.