Potheads Make Better Grades Than Cigarette Smokers

Potheads are smarter than people who smoke cigarettes, according to a new study.

Marijuana smokers outperform tobacco smokers when it comes to academics, according to a new Canadian study.

Researchers at the University of Toronto examined drug use among teens from 1981 to 2011 and found that students who smoke marijuana actually make better grades than those who smoke cigarettes.

"In the past, cannabis use was associated with more problematic behaviors, but this trend has flipped," researcher Dr. Michael Chaiton, assistant professor in epidemiology and public health policy at the University of Toronto's Dalla Lana School of Public Health, said in a news release.

"Youth tobacco users are likely to have poor academic performance and engage in socially deviant behaviors, like vandalism, theft or assault," he added.

The latest study analyzed self-report survey data from the Center for Addiction and Mental Health's Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey. The survey involved 38,331 students in grades 7, 9 and 11.

The findings revealed that marijuana use peaked about a decade ago. However, overall attitudes towards the drug have become more normalized, and many students believe cannabis is safer than tobacco.  However, smoking rates have declined about 6 percent among school-aged kids in the last decade. Researchers said the latest study suggests that smoking has become the new signal of social deviation among youths.

"Youth smokers are becoming a more vulnerable population with high levels of substance use and mental health comorbidities," said Chaiton.

The findings revealed that 92 percent of teen tobacco smokers also use marijuana, and 25 percent of teen marijuana users also smoke cigarettes.

The study revealed that co-use peaked in 1999, with boys in lower grades having the highest probability of being in this group. The study also revealed that students who scored lower in school were more likely to be co-users than users of either substance alone.

However, the good news is that there is an increasing number of kids in Ontario who do not use either substance.

"Drug prevention programs should be aligned with student realities, which means acknowledging and addressing patterns of co-use," Maritt Kirst, co-author of the study and assistant professor in social and behavioral health sciences at U of T's Dalla Lana School of Public Health, said in an university release. "This study identifies which youth are most at risk and can help public health professionals tailor prevention programs accordingly."

The findings are published in the Journal of School Health.