A common argument from anti-cannabis advocates is that legalization could lead to more minors using the plant. While news reports about youths becoming sick after consuming THC-infused gummies continue to circulate, cases are still relatively rare. Data shows that teen marijuana use continues to decline, even as more states legalize—and a new study adds to the evidence.
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The findings, published in the journal Addictive Behaviors, show cannabis use among adolescents has steadily declined since peaking in 1999. Researchers analyzed data from the 1991–2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a biennial, school-based survey that relies on self-reported responses from roughly 254,000 high school students.
In 1999, 47 percent of respondents said they had tried cannabis at least once. By 2023, that number had dropped to about 30 percent.
Recent use has also declined. In 1999, about 27 percent of respondents reported using cannabis within the past 30 days. By 2023, that figure had dropped to just under 18 percent. The number of people who started using cannabis at an early age also decreased significantly, falling from roughly 12 percent in 1999 to about 6.5 percent in 2023.
Researchers reported no conflicts of interest.
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The findings align with other studies that have found no increase, and in some cases a decrease, in teen cannabis use following legalization. A 2024 government analysis showed marijuana use among adolescents fell by roughly 20 percent since 2014. A 2017 study showed teen cannabis consumption decreasing in states with legal weed.
Supporters of legalization argue that regulation promotes safer access for adults and reduces the likelihood that cannabis ends up in the hands of minors. Recent research from Canada, which legalized marijuana nationwide in 2018, found that more youths reported it was difficult to obtain cannabis if they wanted to, supporting the theory.
Teen cannabis use is one area where recent research challenges arguments against legalization. As researchers continue to collect post-reform data, future studies will help clarify whether these trends hold.
