by As attitudes toward cannabis use change in the US and new legislation is introduced, more people are using the drug regularly.
Recent estimates based on survey results suggest that use of the drug has been steadily increasing among several demographic groups, with one notable exception: teenagers.
According to data analyzed by researchers from the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville, cannabis use has more than doubled in higher-income households (those earning $75,000 a year or more) and by people with college degrees, while use among people ages 12 to 17 has remained unchanged.
The study is based on data from 543,195 people, collected between 2013 and 2022 as part of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Participants aged 12 and older were asked about their cannabis use in the past 30 days.
“Cannabis use is increasing due to several factors, including the introduction of laws legalizing its use in the United States,” the researchers write in their published paper.
While cannabis use did not increase for those aged 12 to 17, it did increase across the entire study group from 7.59 percent to 15.11 percent over the 9 years studied. There was no significant increase in 2020, likely due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and changes in data collection methods during that period.
While the study’s findings can’t confirm the driving factors behind the change, the trend is consistent with the growing legalization of the drug for recreational use. In 2012, two states, Colorado and Washington, legalized recreational use in a national first. Today, cannabis is legal in 38 of the 50 states for medical use and 24 for recreational use.
“Future research into influences on cannabis use, such as recreational and medical legalization, trends in psychiatric comorbidity including anxiety and depression, and cannabis-related social acceptability and perceptions of harm, is of great importance,” the researchers write.
Cannabis remains the most commonly used psychoactive substance in the US, with 61.9 million people – about 22 percent of the population – reporting having used cannabis in the past year (while this study looked at the past 30 days).
We are still learning about some of the potentially negative ways the drug can affect the brain and body, including increasing the frequency of psychotic episodes and potentially increasing the risk of cancer. Researchers want more studies to be done on the health effects of cannabis as the drug becomes more popular.
“Our findings provide an important foundation for prevention and harm reduction efforts aimed at reducing the prevalence of cannabis use in the US,” the researchers write.
The research was published in Drug and alcohol addiction reports.
