Scope of Marijuana Use in the United States

Marijuana is the most commonly used psychotropic drug in the United States, after alcohol. In 2022, more than 13.3 million young adults reported marijuana use in the past year. Its use is more prevalent among men than women.

Marijuana Use is Widespread Among Adolescents & Young Adults

According to annual surveys of the nation’s middle and high school students, most measures of marijuana use by 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-graders peaked in the mid-to late 1990s and then began a period of gradual decline through the mid-2000s before leveling off.

Levels of adolescent cannabis use decreased after the onset of the pandemic in 2021, and these lowered levels continued into 2022.

• 8.3% of 8th-graders reported using marijuana in the past year, and 5% in the past month
• 19.5% of 10th-graders reported using marijuana in the past year, and 12.1% in the past month
• 30.7% of 12th-graders reported using marijuana in the past year, and 20.2% in the past month; 6.3% said they use marijuana daily or near-daily

In addition, teens’ perceptions of the risks of marijuana use have steadily declined over the past decade.

With the growing popularity of vaping devices, teens have also started vaping THC. Over 2% of 12th-graders say they vape THC daily.

Source: NSDUH, Monitoring the Future