&gt; Despite this being anecdotal, I am curious what factors (age, generational differences, education) have the strongest influence on this trend.<p>Here&#x27;s my anecdotal theory; prevalence of media and ease of media consumption. Let&#x27;s be honest, media (games, movies, tv) is really great when you&#x27;re stoned. You don&#x27;t have to move much and it tickles your auditory and visual senses. The internet makes consuming media incredibly cheap and easy, and Universities often have good internet access (also local media sharing with DC++ is rife). For a student, cheapness is king. Weed is cheap, media is cheap, both are very rewarding when combined and much cheaper than sports, bars, parties, etc.