Children with high IQ scores have an increased risk of smoking marijuana and taking other illegal drugs when older. This is compared to children with lower IQ, according to a study done in the United Kingdom.

The study revealed that men who received high IQ scores when they were five years old were 50% more likely to have taken ecstasy, several illegal drugs, and amphetamines 25 years later, compared to men who have received lower IQ scores.Women with high IQ scores were more than two times as likely to have used cocaine and cannabis (marijuana) later in life compared to those with low IQ scores.

These new statistics were found from research that was based off of information given from interviews with 8,000 British people born in 1970. Researchers measured the participants’ IQ scores at age five and ten, then followed up with them at age 16 and 30, asking them about their own personal drug usage.

These results came as a surprise to researchers. “It’s not what we thought we would find,” said lead James White, lead researcher at the Child Development Center at Burnel University. He went on to say how he thought the results of this research were “counter intuitive.”

Researchers do not have a complete reason for the link between having a high IQ when younger and illegal drug use in later life, but according to Catherine Peters, researcher at the Child Development Center at Burnel University, “highly intelligent people are often more open to new experiences and embrace novelty and stimulation.”

Previous research from the Center for the Development for Public Health improvement at Cardiff University in Wales has shown that highly intelligent children tend to be easily bored and targeted by other children for being different. White responded to this potential reason for the link between a high IQ and drug use by stating that, “this could conceivably increase vulnerability to using drugs as an avoidant coping strategy.”

This is not to say that all parents should become paranoid that their above average 1st grader will definitely start taking illegal drugs in high school. Researchers are taking this more as a warning for parents. “You may think that your child is smart enough never to take drugs, but you would be naive to think that,” described David Robbin, researcher at the Child Development Center at Burnel University

Child psychologist, Marie Everton, explained how she thinks parents can put a stop to making this statistic increase even more, “talk to your children about the dangers of drugs and let them know about the consequences of taking illegal drugs. You can never be too safe when it comes to the health and future of your own child.”

Imogen Barwick is the Editorial Editor for The Spartan Speaks