A new study reveals that marijuana use among U.S. youth has remained steady over the past decade, even as overall adult consumption has increased and more than 20 states have legalized recreational marijuana.
The study, titled “Prevalence of and trends in current cannabis use among US youth and adults, 2013–2022,” was conducted by researchers from the University of Kentucky, the University of Louisville, and the American Heart Association Tobacco Center for Regulatory Science. It was published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence Reports and hosted online by the National Library of Medicine.
The research utilized data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, analyzing responses from 543,195 participants between 2013 and 2022. The study aimed to assess trends in marijuana use across various sociodemographic groups, including age, gender, race and ethnicity, educational attainment, and total annual family income.
Key findings of the study indicate that while marijuana use among U.S. adults has risen from 7.59% to 11.48% between 2013 and 2019, and further increased to 15.11% in 2021-2022, the rate of marijuana use among youth aged 12-17 has not shown a similar upward trend. The researchers found that youth marijuana use remained constant from 2013 to 2019 and from 2021 to 2022.
In 2022, marijuana use was most prevalent among adults aged 18-34, with male, non-Hispanic multiracial, and lower socioeconomic status groups showing higher usage rates. The study also highlighted increases in marijuana use among adults aged 35-49, women, and Hispanic populations between 2021 and 2022.
The study’s abstract notes: “Cannabis use is increasing overall and among certain sociodemographic groups. Our findings inform prevention and harm reduction efforts aimed at mitigating the prevalence of cannabis use in the US.”
For the full study, click here.
