Teen marijuana use in Maryland has continued to decline even after the state legalized recreational cannabis for adults, according to newly released data from the state’s Department of Health.

The 2024-2025 Maryland Youth Risk Behavior Survey and Youth Tobacco Survey found that fewer middle and high school students reported using cannabis. The findings extend a downward trend recorded before the launch of legal recreational sales.

In the previous 2022-2023 survey, 14% of Maryland high school students reported using marijuana during the past 30 days, down from 15% during the 2021-2022 school year.

Maryland voters approved adult-use legalization in November 2022, with possession and regulated sales becoming legal for those 21 and older on July 1, 2023. The newest survey is the first statewide biennial report to measure teen behavior during a full school year following the opening of the recreational market.

The data does not establish that legalization caused the decline. The survey measures self-reported behavior and was not designed to isolate the impact of a single policy change.

However, the results undermine predictions that allowing regulated adult sales would inevitably lead to increased marijuana use among teenagers. It is also possible that replacing some illicit sales with licensed businesses that must verify customers are at least 21 has helped limit youth access. Maryland law requires regulators to establish security and operating rules intended to prevent sales or diversion to people younger than 21.

State health officials attributed the broader reductions in substance use to prevention and education initiatives. The department highlighted its Be Cannabis Smart campaign, family educational resources and plans for a teen-focused prevention campaign launching this fall.

Other factors, including broader national declines in teen substance use and changes in youth social behavior since the COVID-19 pandemic, may also be contributing.

Whatever the cause, Maryland’s experience shows that adult-use legalization and declining teen marijuana use can occur at the same time, rather than legalization automatically producing an increase among minors.