Really guys?
I think I just had this discussion with my 23 year-old son a month ago who contended that because it is his experience and that of his friends that pot smoking doesn't cause man boobs, the research that was featured on CNN last year must be all bunk.
Here's the thing.
When researchers design a study, a fundamental premise is to reduce bias to as small a factor as possible, and where it is a factor, it is the routine that in any article describing their study, there will be a limitations section where they acknowledge it.
When my kid or you or I reach our own anecdotal conclusions... what do we do to reduce bias?
Exactly.
It's not like they all huddle together and decide how to pick on Huntington West Virginia this time. No, it's not pleasant. A similar thing came out last year or the year before and my city was #1... so, if you've got something to cry about, I've got twice as much... the researchers just seem to follow me around and beat up whatever city I choose to live in... (that's a joke, in case you weren't sure).
It serves no purpose to be defensive. As said early in this thread, studies like this just make it all the more possible for non-profits and government agencies to make the case for attracting federal money to the area. Just be matter-of-fact about it, and realize that as much as you like things as they are, they could be better in a few ways, and for some people, they could be a lot better in many ways.