Historical Trends in Cannabis Use Among U.S. Adults Ages 19–55, 2013–2021

The study analyzed national data from the U.S. to track trends in cannabis use from 2013 to 2021, focusing on changes in use among young and middle-aged adults. Researchers also looked at whether these trends varied by sociodemographic factors like age, race, and education.

Method:

Researchers used data from the Monitoring the Future panel study, which followed 21,182 participants aged 19–30 and 29,871 participants aged 35–55 from 2013 to 2021. The study examined trends in cannabis use, including any use in the past 12 months, any use in the past 30 days, and near-daily use (defined as use on 20 or more days in the past 30 days).

Results:

The prevalence of cannabis use over 12 months, 30 days, and near-daily use increased significantly from 2013 to 2021 for both young and middle-aged adults. Trends showed either steady increases or sharper increases in recent years. Increases in 12-month and 30-day cannabis use were similar for both age groups, while near-daily use among middle-aged adults showed some potential changes related to the pandemic. Trends were consistent across different races, ethnicities, and education levels. However, trends varied by sex, with women showing a greater increase in cannabis use over time, particularly during middle adulthood.

Conclusions:

Cannabis use has risen significantly among young and middle-aged adults over the past decade across all sociodemographic groups. There is some evidence that near-daily cannabis use among middle-aged adults increased around the onset of the pandemic. Although men still have higher rates of cannabis use than women, the gap is narrowing due to greater increases among women.