January 4, 2002

Neighborhood Characteristics
and Youth Marijuana Use
A
s part of the 2000 National
In Brief Household Survey on Drug Abuse
(NHSDA), youths aged 12 to 17 were
z Almost 23 percent of youths asked to indicate how much they agreed or
perceived that their disagreed with statements about their
neighborhood. Response choices were: (1)
neighborhoods have a lot of strongly agree; (2) somewhat agree; (3)
crime; 27 percent perceived somewhat disagree; and (4) strongly disagree.
a lot of drug selling Statements about their neighborhood
addressed crime and violence (drug selling,
z Among youths, blacks and crime, and street fights), as well as the
Hispanics more often physical environment (i.e., empty or aban-
perceived a lot of crime, drug doned buildings, graffiti). The survey data
permit examinations of the links between
selling, street fights, these perceptions of neighborhood charac-
abandoned buildings, and teristics and marijuana use among youths.
graffiti than did whites or
Asians Perceptions of Neighborhood
Characteristics
z Marijuana use was higher
among youths who According to the 2000 NHSDA, more than
one in five youths aged 12 to 17 (an estimated
perceived high rates of these 5 million) reported that they strongly or
neighborhood characteristics somewhat agreed with the statement that
than among youths who there is a lot of crime in their neighborhoods
perceived low rates (Figure 1). More than one in four youths (an
estimated 6 million) agreed with the

The NHSDA Report is published periodically by the Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
(SAMHSA). All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission from SAMHSA.
Additional copies of this fact sheet may be downloaded from http://www.samhsa.gov/oas/facts.cfm. Citation of the source is appreciated. Other
reports from the Office of Applied Studies are also available on-line: http://www.DrugAbuseStatistics.samhsa.gov/.
NHSDA REPORT: NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTERISTICS ANDYOUTH MARIJUANA USE January 4, 2002

Figure 1. Percentages of Youths Aged 12 to 17 Figure 2. Percentages of Youths Aged 12 to 17

Reporting Perceptions of Neighborhood Reporting Perceptions of Neighborhood
Characteristics: 2000 Characteristics, by Racial/Ethnic Group: 2000
Percent Strongly or Somewhat Agreed

Percent Strongly or Somewhat Agreed

50 50 Whites Blacks

43.9
Asians Hispanics

38.1
40 40

31.4
30.7

29.5

28.1
30 26.6 30

23.9

23.9
22.3

20.8
22.7

20.0
18.4
17.4

16.0
20 15.9 20

13.1
14.8

12.3
11.3
10.4
11.4

9.5

6.8
10 10

0 0
A Lot of A Lot of A Lot of Many A Lot of A Lot of A Lot of A Lot of Many A Lot of
Crime Drug Street Abandoned Graffiti Crime Drug Street Abandoned Graffiti
Selling Fights Buildings Selling Fights Buildings
Neighborhood Characteristics Neighborhood Characteristics

statement that there is a lot of than did black, Asian, or white abandoned buildings, or graffiti
drug selling in their neighbor- youths. were more likely to use marijuana
hoods, and more than one in Youths who lived in large in the past month than those who
seven youths (over 3 million) metropolitan counties were more did not agree (Figure 4). The
believed that there are a lot of likely to perceive that their strongest links to marijuana use
street fights in their neighbor- neighborhoods contain a lot of were found for drug selling and
hoods. More than one in nine crime, drug selling, street fights, street fights; youths who agreed
youths (almost 3 million) agreed and graffiti compared with youths with the statement that there is a
with the statement that there are a who lived in small metropolitan lot of drug selling in their neigh-
lot of empty or abandoned or non-metropolitan areas (Figure borhoods were twice as likely to
buildings in their neighborhoods, 3). Youths who lived in non- have used marijuana in the past
and more than one in seven metropolitan areas were more month (12 percent) compared
youths (almost 4 million) likely to perceive that their with those who disagreed (6
perceived that there is a lot of neighborhoods contain a lot of percent). Almost 11 percent of
graffiti in their neighborhoods. abandoned buildings compared youths who agreed with the
Among youths, blacks more with youths who lived in small or statement that there are a lot of
often agreed with the statements large metropolitan areas. street fights in their neighbor-
that their neighborhoods have a hoods reported past month
lot of crime, drug selling, street marijuana use compared with 7
fights, and abandoned buildings Neighborhood percent of those who disagreed.
than did black, Asian, or white Characteristics and
youths (Figure 2). Hispanics
agreed with these statements less
Marijuana Use Among Summary
often than blacks, but more often Youths
than whites or Asians. Further- The 2000 NHSDA data indicate
Youths who agreed with the that many youths aged 12 to 17
more, Hispanics more often statements that their
perceived that there is a lot of perceived that their
neighborhoods have a lot of neighborhoods contain crime,
graffiti in their neighborhoods crime, drug selling, street fights, violence, and poor physical
January 4, 2002 NHSDA REPORT: NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTERISTICS ANDYOUTH MARIJUANA USE

Figure 3. Percentages of Youths Aged 12 to 17 Figure 4. Percentages of Youths Aged 12 to 17

Reporting Perceptions of Neighborhood Reporting Past Month Marijuana Use, by Percep-
Characteristics, by County Type: 2000 tions of Neighborhood Characteristics: 2000
Percent Strongly or Somewhat Agreed

Large Metro

Percent Used Marijuana in Past Month

50 20 Strongly or Somewhat Agreed
Small Metro Strongly or Somewhat Disagreed

40 Nonmetro
15

12.3
29.2

10.5
25.4

30
24.8
23.8

9.2
21.0

8.8
19.8
10
18.5

8.1
17.0

7.0
6.9
6.7
20

14.8

6.6
13.3

13.0
11.9

5.5
10.7

10.8
10.3
5
10

0 0
A Lot of A Lot of A Lot of Many A Lot of A Lot of A Lot of A Lot of Many A Lot of
Crime Drug Street Abandoned Graffiti Crime Drug Street Abandoned Graffiti
Selling Fights Buildings Selling Fights Buildings
Neighborhood Characteristics Neighborhood Characteristics

environments. More than one in Figure Notes The National Household Survey on Drug
five youths perceived that there is Abuse (NHSDA) is an annual survey
Figure 3 – Large Metro = Metropolitan Statistical sponsored by the Substance Abuse and
a lot of crime in their neighbor- Areas (MSAs) with population of 1 million or Mental Health Services Administration
hoods, and more than one in four more; Small Metro = MSAs with population of (SAMHSA). The 2000 data are based on
50K to < 1 million; Nonmetro = not part of an information obtained from nearly 72,000
perceived that there is a lot of MSA. persons aged 12 or older. The survey collects
drug selling in their neighbor- Source (all figures): SAMHSA 2000 National data by administering questionnaires to a
hoods. Blacks and Hispanics Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA). representative sample of the population
through face-to-face interviews at their place
more often perceived that they of residence.
live in neighborhoods with these The NHSDA Report is prepared by the Office
characteristics than did whites or of Applied Studies (OAS), SAMHSA, and by
RTI in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.
Asians. Furthermore, these data Information and data for this issue are based
indicate that youths who on the following publication and statistics:
perceived high rates of these Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services
Administration. (2001) Summary of findings
neighborhood characteristics were from the 2000 National Household Survey on
more likely to use marijuana Drug Abuse (National Household Survey on
Drug Abuse Series: H-13, DHHS Publication
during the past month than No. SMA 01-3549). Rockville, MD: Author.
youths who perceived low rates. Also available on-line:
www.DrugAbuseStatistics.samhsa.gov
Additional tables 3:20A, 3.20B, 3:21A, 3.21B,
3:23A, 3.23B, 3:24A, 3.24B, 3:26A, and 3.26B
from http://www.samhsa.gov/oas/nhsda/
2kdetailedtabs/Vol_1_Part_3/V1P3.htm