What Country Has the Most Pot-Smoking 11-to-15 Year Olds?  Spain Came in Third Place

Guess what country has the most pot-smoking kids??

Before you say Mexico, Colombia or Bolivia where the majority of drugs are manufactured you are wrong, they weren’t in the study.  It is Canada.

UNICEF just released its “Report Card 11” which tracks the well-being of children in ‘rich nations’ or in the industrialized world.  The report also looks at high risk behaviors amongst these youngsters. 

Out of 29 industrialized countries studied the report found 28 percent of Canadian children between the ages of 11-to-15 years old are smoking pot. 

The report found a collaboration between drug policies and drug use – the more liberal the drug policies the less use amongst children. Portugal is a perfect example with a low rate of pot use amongst youngsters at 10.5 percent tied to the fact marijuana smoking is not illegal.

Spain came in third place with 24.06 percent of children report having used marijuana in the last year while the U.S. came in fifth place.  In spite of its economic woes Spain maintains high rates of preschool enrollment rates, participation in higher education and found to provide an overall safe environment for its children. 

In spite of pot-smoking kids and all the global ills the UNICEF report found that when looking at the ‘behaviors and risks’ of children, there is reason to celebrate.  Fewer children are smoking, drinking and getting pregnant.  The bit of bad news is in the area of exercise.  Most countries report low levels of activity and increasing rates child obesity. 

Published in Latino Daily News