Canadian Study: Teens Smoke Marijuana to Relieve Stress

A Canadian study has found that teen-agers use marijuana not to get high but to deal with stress, depression, grief or anxiety. The study was published in Substance Abuse, Treatment, Prevention and Policy, a Canadian online journal. University of British Columbia researchers interviewed 20 teens from Vancouver and rural communities in the province.

The teens told researchers that they didn't think their health problems were being adequately addressed.

"We really need to pay attention to adolescents who are experiencing concerns about their health, who are having difficulties, and we need to work with them to find alternatives," Joan L. Bottorff of the University of British Columbia told Reuters.

The full study is here.