Historic Lows in Teen Cannabis Use
Recent data from the University of Michigan, supported by federal funding, indicates that rates of cannabis use among teens remain near historic lows. This trend aligns with last month's data from the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), suggesting a continued decline in cannabis consumption among young people since the COVID pandemic.
Survey Findings: A Consistent Decline
The University's annual Monitoring the Future survey highlights that the percentage of youth who have used cannabis has not returned to pre-pandemic, 2020 levels by 2023. Across all grades, the 2023 levels remained below those in 2020, with lifetime, past 12-month, and past 30-day use all showing significant drops from 2020 to 2021, and maintaining these lower levels thereafter.
Long-Term Trends in Cannabis Use Among Teens
Since the late 1990s, there has been a notable decrease in self-reported annual cannabis use among 12th graders, with a 25 percent reduction. Among 10th graders, the reduction is even more significant at 50 percent, and among 8th graders, it has fallen by more than half.
Impact of Statewide Adult-Use Legalization Laws
These findings are consistent with other recent surveys indicating that the adoption of statewide adult-use legalization laws has not led to increased rates of youth use. A May 2023 report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed a 30 percent decrease in the percentage of high schoolers who ever tried cannabis between 2011 and 2021, a period during which nearly half of all US states legalized cannabis. The percentage of students who identified as current cannabis consumers decreased similarly.
