Why is this happening?

New York Post reports.

Why do college kids have so much time to smoke pot?

So that’s why they call it higher education.

More than one in 20 college kids are smoking pot daily. According to researchers at the University of Michigan, that’s the highest rate since the “Monitoring the Future” study began in 1980. Almost 40 percent of students reported using some sort of illicit drug during the previous year, up from 34 percent in 2006. And most of that boost is thanks to pot.

“There’s no question that marijuana use has risen considerably,” Lloyd Johnston, the study’s principal investigator, told The Wall Street Journal, adding, “In December, we released results on secondary-school students, and we’re seeing a rise in daily marijuana use there as well.”

But really, what’s the big deal? And what did we expect?

The push for legalization around the country has had an effect on how young people view pot. If it’s legal in Colorado, say the kids in New Jersey, how bad can it really be for me? And it’s only a matter of time before it’s legal everywhere, right?

And, just as with alcohol and tobacco, the easier it is for grownups to get a hold of it, the easier it is for kids as well.