University of Pittsburgh researchers say teens who listen to music with references of marijuana are more likely to use the plant than their peers. Surveyed data from 959 ninth graders found that students who listen to music with the most references to pot are almost twice more likely to have used it than peers who listen to music that doesn't focus on the substance. The researchers said in a statement that exposure to marijuana in music was not associated with other high-risk behaviors like excess drinking, strengthening the argument that there is a real link between marijuana lyrics and marijuana use. The researchers estimated that the average study participant listened to almost 22 hours of music per week and was exposed to about 40 marijuana references in music per day. Of these kids, 12 percent identified themselves as pot smokers, and 32 percent of them said they have tried it.
This study, however, would throw out the gateway theory…you know, cigs-alcohol, alcohol-marijuana, marijuana-cocaine, ECT…I guess now its music-marijuana so what are we supposed to do, ban music?