Big Island ranks
seventh nationwide
in pot smokers

The Big Island has the seventh-highest percentage of pot smokers in the nation, according to a federal government report.

The report found that Boston and Boulder, Colo., both college towns, lead the nation in marijuana use, while northwestern Iowa and southern Texas have the lowest use, according to the report released yesterday from the Department of Health and Human Services.

According to the report, 5.1 percent of people around the country reported using marijuana in the previous 30 days.

In Boston, the home of Boston University, Boston College, Northeastern and several other colleges, 12.2 percent reported using marijuana in the previous 30 days. In Boulder County, home of the University of Colorado, 10.3 percent reported using marijuana during the same time period.

On the Big Island, 9.22 percent of residents said they used the drug. On Oahu the figure stood at 6.89 percent, while it was 8.01 percent for Kauai and Maui counties combined.

John Auerbach, executive director of the public health commission for the city of Boston, said the survey might not reflect current marijuana use in Boston because the data came from 1999-2001 national surveys.