Frequent Cannabis Use Increasing More Rapidly Among Young Adults Not in College

In states where recreational cannabis has been legalized, young adults not in college were more likely to become frequent users and more likely to meet the criteria for cannabis use disorder than their college-enrolled counterparts, according to a study published this month by Oregon State University.

Findings from the study, which used data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NDSUH) from 2008 to 2019, were published in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine.

Prior to legalization, 23% of non-college young adults reported using cannabis within the past month. That figure climbed to 28% post-legalization, said study lead author David Kerr, a psychology professor in Oregon State’s College of Liberal Arts. During the same period, past-month cannabis use among college students in the same age bracket increased by just 1 percentage point, from 20% to 21%.

The following discrepancies between college students and non-college student young adults were also observed:

• Frequent cannabis use (using at least 20 times within the past month) increased from 12% to 14% among non-college young adults. Among college students, the frequent use rate held firm at 7%.
• Cannabis use disorder among non-college young adults increased from 12% of the study population to 15%. Among college students, the rate stayed at 10% throughout the study period.

The study also found that in states with legalized cannabis use, recent use among all young adults between the ages of 21 and 23 increased more (21% to 26%) than among 18- to 20-year olds (22% to 23%).

“Our research doesn’t address why these changes are occurring, but if you’ve been to a state that has legalized recreational cannabis use, you’ll notice the drug is widely available and prominently advertised,” Kerr said in a news release announcing the findings. “Americans’ beliefs about the benefits and harms of cannabis use are also changing rapidly.”

To illustrate that point, Kerr cited a Monitoring the Future report that showed 21% of young adults surveyed in 2020 believed regular cannabis use puts people at risk of harm, compared to 58% of young adults surveyed 20 years prior.

Reference

In states that legalized cannabis, frequent cannabis use became more common in young adults who are not in college, OSU study finds. News release. Oregon State University. August 2, 2023. Accessed August 11, 2023.