Data from a federally funded survey has found that cannabis use amongst teens in the USA is at its lowest since the first states began to legalise adult access to the drug in 2012.
The annual Monitoring the Future (MTF) Survey, which is supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), showed that the percentage of teens in the 8th grade, 10th grade, and 12th grade who reported having ever consumed cannabis has declined to 32 per cent, 37 per cent, and 23 per cent respectively.
The percentage of 8th graders, 10th graders, and 12 graders who reported using cannabis in the past year fell 38 per cent, 42 per cent, and 26 per cent.
“In 2024, marijuana use declined in all three grades for lifetime, past 12-month, and past 30-day use,” the study said.
NIDA officials admitted that the results had taken them by surprise. The substantial 2020 to 2021 drop in broader substance use among teens was believed to be a result of COVID restrictions on socialising, with experts predicting that cannabis and other drug use amongst teens would increase as a result of restrictions lifting.
“This trend in the reduction of substance use among teenagers is unprecedented,” said NIDA Director Nora Volkow. “We must continue to investigate factors that have contributed to this lowered risk of substance use to tailor interventions to support the continuation of this trend.”
The survey also found that amongst teens there was an increase in the perception that cannabis use carries a “great risk”. The results additionally showed that despite the rise in adult-use retail outlets and an increase in adults using cannabis, there was a significant drop in perceptions by youth that cannabis is easy to access.
“Sensational claims that adult-use legalization laws are linked with greater marijuana use by teens are simply not backed by reliable data,” said Paul Armentano, Deputy Director of NORML, a social welfare charity that campaigns for cannabis law reform in the United States.
“These findings ought to reassure lawmakers that cannabis access can be legally regulated in a manner that is safe, effective, and that does not inadvertently impact young people’s habits.”
The survey results add to a growing body of evidence which shows that legalising cannabis protects teens, rather than increasing adolescent use. The results of another federally funded study, published earlier in 2024, also showed that legalising cannabis for adult use did not lead to increased cannabis consumption amongst middle-school students. Meanwhile, a 2022 study showed that in Europe there was no support for the claim that cannabis legalisation increases the prevalence of cannabis use in people aged 15 to 34 years old.
This story first appeared on leafie, view here
Author: Liam O’Dowd
