Select a State  
Donate
Menu
Donate

Adult Use Legalization Corresponds With Drop In Teen Marijuana Use

“[L]egalization by some states of marijuana has not been associated with an increase in adolescents’ marijuana use."

—National Institute on Drug Abuse Director Nora Volkow, testifying at a 2022 U.S. Senate Health, Education Labor & Pensions Committee hearing.[1]

Study after study has found that cannabis policy reforms are not linked to increased rates of cannabis use among adolescents. The Journal of the American Medical Association published a major report analyzing data from more than 207,000 high school students through 2021.[2] The researchers found that “there was no evidence that RMLs [“recreational” marijuana legalization laws] were associated with encouraging youth marijuana use.” Further, another Journal of the American Medical Association publication from 2024 found that “each additional year of RCL [“recreational” cannabis legalization] exposure was associated with 8% higher odds of zero cannabis use (lower likelihood of any use,” indicating that legalization laws continue to reduce the likelihood of teen use over time.[3]

New data was released in late 2026 and it is even more encouraging, showing decreases in youth cannabis use since states began legalizing and regulating cannabis for adults 21 and older. As the below data tables show, in every legalization state, government surveys indicate a decrease in high schoolers’ cannabis use rates post-legalization.

Nationwide, both the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Monitoring the Future survey results show significant drops in youth cannabis use between 2011 and 2025/2026. Since states began legalizing cannabis for adults in 2012, MTF data shows 25% to 44% drops in past 30-day marijuana use in the three grades it surveyed — 8th, 10th, and 12th — along with significant drops in the percent of youths reporting “very easy” or “fairly easy” access to marijuana.[4]

National Survey Data on Teen Use & Access Since States Began Legalizing Cannabis

The CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey, past 30-day marijuana use, national data[5]

The first two state legalization laws were enacted in 2012.

  2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023 2025
Total 23.1% 23.4% 21.7% 19.8% 21.7% 15.8% 17.0% 12.9%
9th grade 18% 17.7% 15.2% 13.1% 14.6% 9.1% 10.8% 7.4%
10th grade 21.6% 23.5% 20% 18.7% 19.8% 13.3% 14.3% 11.9%
11th grade 25.5% 25.5% 24.8% 22.6% 24.9% 18.7% 19.0% 15.2%
12th grade 28% 27.7% 27.6% 25.7% 28.3% 22.4% 24.5% 18.1%

Monitoring the Future, past 30-day marijuana use, national data[6]

  2011 2025
8th grade 7.2% 4%
10th grade 17.6% 9.4%
12th grade 22.6% 17.1%

Monitoring the Future, past 12-month marijuana use, national data[7]

  2011 2025
8th grade 12.5% 7.6%
10th grade 28.8% 15.6%
12th grade 36.4% 25.7%

Monitoring the Future, percent of students finding marijuana “fairly easy” or “very easy” to obtain, national data[8]

  2011 2025
8th grade 37.9% 19.9%
10th grade 68.4% 40.2%
12th grade 82.2%  65.2%

SAMHSA’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH, past 12-month marijuana use, national data) [9]

  2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Ages 12-17 10.9% 11.5% 11.2% 10.4% 8.7%

State-By-State Data Post-Legalization, With the Oldest Laws First

Washington State Healthy Youth Survey (past 30-day use — Law enacted in Nov. 2012) [10]

  2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2021 2023 2025
8th grade 9.5% 9.4% 7.3% 6.4% 7.2% 2.8% 3.7% 2.6%
10th grade 20.0% 19.3% 18.1% 17.2% 17.9% 7.2% 8.4% 5.5%
12th grade 26.3% 26.7% 26.7% 26.4% 26.2% 15.9% 16.3% 11.7%

Colorado Healthy Kids Survey (past 30-day use — Law enacted in Nov. 2012) [11]

  2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023 2025
9th – 12th grade 22.0% 19.7% 21.2% 19.4% 20.6% 13.3% 12.8% 9.7%

Oregon Healthy Teens Survey & Student Health Survey (past 30-day use — Law enacted in Nov. 2014) [12]

  2013 2015 2017 2019 2020 2022 2024 2025
8th grade 9.7% 8.8% 6.7% 7.8% 3.3% 3.1% 2.3% 1.7%
11th grade 20.9% 19.1% 20.9% 20.4% 13.5% 12.0% 9.6% 7.5%

Alaska Youth Risk Behavior Survey (past 30-day use — Law enacted in Nov. 2014) [13]

  2013 2015 2017 2019 2023 2025[14]
9th – 12th grade 19.7% 19.0% 21.5% 21.5% 17.9% N/A

California Healthy Youth Survey (past 30-day use — Law enacted in Nov. 2016) [15]

  2013-2015 2015-2017 2017-2019 2019-2021 2023-2025
9th grade 12% 10% 10% 6% 3%
 11th grade 18% 16% 16% 12% 6%

Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Survey (past 30-day use; Youth Health Survey — Law enacted in Nov. 2016) [16]

  2015 2017 2019 2021 2023 2025
9th – 12th grade 24.5% 24.1% 26.0% 16.6% 18.6% 12.0%

Maine Youth Risk Behavior Survey (past 30-day use — Law enacted in Nov. 2016) [17]

  2015 2017 2019 2021 2023 2025
9th – 12th grade 19.9% 18.8% 22.3% 17.1% 18.4% 14.7%

Nevada Youth Risk Behavior Survey (past 30-day use — Law enacted in Nov. 2016) [18]

  2015 2017 2019 2021 2023 2025
9th – 12th grade 19.3% 17.9% 19.8% 16.3% 14.7% 13.7%

Vermont Youth Risk Behavior Survey (past 30-day use — Law enacted in Jan. 2018) [19]

  2017 2019 2021 2023 2025
9th – 12th grade 23.5% 26.5% 19.9% 22.4% 17.6%

Michigan Youth Risk Behavior Survey (past 30-day use — Law enacted in Nov. 2018) [20]

  2017 2019 2021 2023 2025
9th – 12th grade 23.7% 21.6% 14.4% 16.7% 12.1%

Illinois Youth Risk Behavior Survey (past 30-day use — Law enacted in June 2019) [21]

  2017 2019 2021 2023 2025
9th – 12th grade 20.8% 21.8% 15.1% 17.3% 8.2%

Arizona Youth Survey (past 30-day use — Law enacted in Nov. 2020) [22]

  2018 2020 2022 2024 2026
8th grade 8.1% 5.9% 5.7%  3.8% 2.8%
10th grade 17.0% 14.1% 11.0%  7.8% 6.2%
12th grade 23.2% 20.7% 17.6%  14.1% 10.2%

Montana Youth Risk Behavior Survey (past 30-day use — Law enacted in Nov. 2020) [23]

  2019 2021 2023 2025
9th – 12th grade 21.1% 19.7% 19.6% 13.3%

Virginia Youth Risk Behavior Survey (past 30-day use — Law enacted in 2021) [24]

  2019 2021 2023 2025
9th – 12th grade 17.3% 13.3% 9.5% 8.8%

New Jersey Youth Risk Behavior Survey (past 30-day use — Law enacted in Nov. 2020 and Feb. 2021) [25]

  2019 2021 2023 2025[26]
9th – 12th grade 20.1% 17.3% 13.6% N/A

New Mexico Youth Risk Behavior Survey (past 30-day use — Law enacted in March 2021) [27]

  2019 2021 2023 2025
9th – 12th grade 27.7% 20.2% 17.4% 11.6%

New York Youth Risk Behavior Survey (past 30-day use — Law enacted in March 2021) [28]

  2019 2021 2023 2025
9th – 12th grade, survey omits NYC 17.9% 15.4% 12.0% 14.2%

Connecticut Youth Risk Behavior Survey (past 30-day use — Law enacted in June 2021) [29]

  2019 2021 2023 2025
9th – 12th grade 21.7% 11.1% 14.7% 11.7%

Rhode lsland Youth Risk Behavior Survey (past 30-day use — Law enacted in June 2022) [30]

  2021
(during COVID		 2023 2025
9th – 12th grade 15.5% 19.8% 14.3%

Missouri Youth Risk Behavior Survey (past 30-day use — Law enacted in November 2022) [31]

  2021
(during COVID		 2023 2025
9th – 12th grade 16.7% 20.3% 8.5%

Maryland Youth Risk Behavior Survey (past 30-day use — Law enacted in November 2022) [32]

  2021
(during COVID		 2023 2025
9th – 12th grade 15.0% 14.4% 12.1%

Delaware Youth Risk Behavior Survey (past 30-day use — Law enacted in April 2023) [33]

  2021 2023 2025
9th – 12th grade 15.9% 18.2% 11.3%

Minnesota Student Survey (past 12-month use — Law enacted in May 2023) [34]

  2013 2025
 8th, 9th, and 11th graders combined 14.9% 6.5%

Ohio Youth Risk Behavior Survey (past 30-day use — Law enacted in November 2023) [35]

  2021 2023 2025
9th – 12th grade 13.3% 17.0% 11.4%


Conclusion

More than a decade into states legalizing cannabis for adults the data is clear: Legalization does not increase youth cannabis use. Moving cannabis sales from streets and schools to adults-only stores has been accompanied by reduced access and use of cannabis by youth.

On the illegal market, no one is checking IDs before selling marijuana. When and where cannabis is illegal, high schoolers often sell cannabis to their peers.[36] In contrast, licensed cannabis stores have overwhelming compliance with age-gating.[37] As part of legalization, a portion of cannabis taxes are often directed to education and prevention, such as after-school activities.

[1] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAbI3VtTAOI

[2] Anderson DM, Fe HT, Liang Y, Sabia JJ. Recreational Marijuana Laws and Teen Marijuana Use, 1993-2021. JAMA Psychiatry. 2024;81(8:840–842. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2024.0698

[3] Coley RL, Carey N, Kruzik C, Hawkins SS, Baum CF. Recreational Cannabis Legalization, Retail Sales, and Adolescent Substance Use Through 2021. JAMA Pediatr. 2024;178(6:622–625. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2024.0555

[4] Miech, R. A., Johnston, L. D., Patrick, M. E., & O’Malley, P. M. (2025. Monitoring the Future national survey results on drug use, 1975–2024: Monitoring the Future Available at https://monitoringthefuture.org/results/annual-reports/

[5] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC. 1991-2025 High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data. Available at [http://yrbs-explorer.services.cdc.gov/">http://yrbs-explorer.services.cdc.gov/. Accessed on September 22, 2026.

[6] Miech, R. A., Johnston, et al. Available at https://monitoringthefuture.org/data/bx-by/

[7] Miech, R. A., Johnston, et al. Available at https://monitoringthefuture.org/data/bx-by

[8] Miech, R. et al. Available at https://monitoringthefuture.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/trends-in-availability-12-grade.pdf

[9] Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2026. Key substance use and mental health indicators in the United States: Results from the 2025 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (HHS Publication No. PEP26- 07-010, NSDUH Series H-61. Available at: https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt57150/2025-nsduh-annual-national-report.pdf

[10] Washington State Healthy Youth Survey. Healthy Youth Survey Dashboard. Available at https://www.askhys.net/SurveyResults/DataDashboard/. Accessed on September 1, 2026.

[11] Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment. Healthy Kids Survey Dashboard. Available at https://cdphe.colorado.gov/healthy-kids-colorado-survey-dashboard/. Accessed on September 1, 2026. 2011 data at p. 2 of Overview of the 2011 Healthy Kids Colorado Survey: High School: Available at: https:/www.coloradoedinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Overview_2011-Healthy-Kids-Colorado-Survey.pdf">https://www.coloradoedinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Overview_2011-Healthy-Kids-Colorado-Survey.pdf

[12] Oregon Health Authority. Oregon Student Healthy Survey Data 2020 and 2022. Available at: https://www.bach-harrison.com/SHSDataPortal/Crosstabs.aspx Oregon Health Authority. Oregon Healthy Teens Survey Results, 2013-2019. https:/www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/BirthDeathCertificates/Surveys/OregonHealthyTeens/Pages/index.aspx">https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/BirthDeathCertificates/Surveys/OregonHealthyTeens/Pages/index.aspx; https:/www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/BIRTHDEATHCERTIFICATES/SURVEYS/Documents/SHS/2024/Reports/State%20of%20Oregon%202024.pdf">https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/BIRTHDEATHCERTIFICATES/SURVEYS/Documents/SHS/2024/Reports/State%20of%20Oregon%202024.pdf; https:/www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/BIRTHDEATHCERTIFICATES/SURVEYS/Documents/SHS/2025/Reports/State%20of%20Oregon%202025.pdf">https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/BIRTHDEATHCERTIFICATES/SURVEYS/Documents/SHS/2025/Reports/State%20of%20Oregon%202025.pdf

[13] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC. 1991-2025 High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data. Available at [http://yrbs-explorer.services.cdc.gov/">http://yrbs-explorer.services.cdc.gov/. Accessed on September 22, 2026.

[14] No data is available for 2025 as of September 22, 2026.

[15] California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS, CalSCHLS Public Dashboards Available at https:/calschls.org/reports-data/public-dashboards/f882f1e2-dfc0-4448-b90b-f49cef6e6d3f/">https://calschls.org/reports-data/public-dashboards/f882f1e2-dfc0-4448-b90b-f49cef6e6d3f/. CDC data was only through 2019. It also showed a decrease — from 22.9% in 2015 to 17.1% in 2019 among high schoolers.

[16]Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC. 1991-2025 High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data. Available at http://yrbs-explorer.services.cdc.gov/. Accessed on September 22, 2026. Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Results of the Massachusetts Youth Health Survey 2023. https://www.mass.gov/doc/results-of-the-massachusetts-youth-health-survey-2023/download. (p. 29 A

[17]Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC. 1991-2025 High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data. Available at [http://yrbs-explorer.services.cdc.gov/">http://yrbs-explorer.services.cdc.gov/. Accessed on September 22, 2026.

[18] Ibid.

[19] Ibid.

[20] Ibid.

[21] Ibid.

[22]Arizona Youth Survey State Report 2026, Available at: https://www.azcjc.gov/Data/Arizona-Youth-Survey/Substance-Use

[23] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC. 1991-2025 High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data. Available at http://yrbs-explorer.services.cdc.gov/. Accessed on September 22, 2026 .

[24] Ibid.

[25] Ibid.

[26] No data is available for 2025 as of September 22, 2026.

[27] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC. 1991-2025 High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data. Available at http://yrbs-explorer.services.cdc.gov/. Accessed on September 22, 2026

[28] Ibid.

[29] Ibid.

[30] Ibid.

[31] Ibid.

[32] Ibid.

[33] Ibid.

[34] Johnson C & Gloppen K. Cannabis use among youth in Minnesota: 2025. Saint Paul, MN: Minnesota Department of Health, December 2025.

[35] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC. 1991-2025 High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data. Available at http://yrbs-explorer.services.cdc.gov/. Accessed on September 22, 2026

[36] In 2012, before any states had regulated adult-use cannabis sales, 40% of high schoolers reported knowing a student who sells marijuana at school. "National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse XVII: Teens," The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, 2012, p. 2.

[37] Carla J. Berg, Katelyn F. Romm, Alexandria Pannell, Priyanka Sridharan, Tanvi Sapra, Aishwarya Rajamahanty, Yuxian Cui, Yan Wang, Y. Tony Yang, Patricia A. Cavazos-Rehg, Cannabis retailer marketing strategies and regulatory compliance: A surveillance study of retailers in 5 US cities, Addictive Behaviors, Volume 143, 2023, 107696, ISSN 0306-4603, See additional sources at: "Study: Licensed Cannabis Retailers Are Strictly Complying with ID Verification Laws," NORML, April 5, 2023. Available at: https://norml.org/blog/2026/03/17/compliance-check-data-from-legal-states-confirms-that-licensed-retailers-dont-sell-cannabis-to-minors/



Download PDF