Teen Marijuana Use Falls to Near 30-Year Low, Down 40% From 1999 Peak, Federal Data Show
- Teen marijuana use in the U.S. has decreased by 40% since its 1999 peak, reaching a 30-year low according to a University of Connecticut study analyzing CDC survey data from 1991 to 2023.
- Lifetime marijuana use among adolescents dropped from 47.3% in 1999 to 30.1% in 2023, with recent and early initiation use also declining significantly over this period.
- Despite the legalization of marijuana in many states post-1999, youth marijuana use has continued to decline rather than increase, challenging concerns about legalization's impact on teen consumption.
- Additional data from the University of Michigan between 2012 and 2025 confirm consistent declines in marijuana use across 8th, 10th, and 12th graders, with experts stating government data do not support claims that legalization increases teen use.
Teen marijuana use in the U.S. has fallen 40% from its 1999 high and is now at a 30-year low, according to a new peer-reviewed analysis published in Addictive Behaviors by researchers from the University of Connecticut. Researchers from the University of Connecticut examined data from the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey, reviewing responses from more than 254,000 high school students collected between 1991 and 2023. The data show that lifetime marijuana use among adolescents peaked in 1999 at 47.3%. By 2023, that number had fallen to 30.1% — a drop of roughly 17 percentage points over two decades.
Recent use followed the same pattern. In 1999, more than one in four teens reported using marijuana in the past month. In 2023, fewer than 20% did. The prevalence of early initiation also declined over the same period.
The findings are notable given that the 1999 peak occurred well before any state legalized marijuana for adult use, and at a time when medical use was only only legal in four states. In the years since states began regulating retail markets, youth use has continued trending downward rather than upward.
Separate federally funded survey data compiled by the University of Michigan reinforce that trajectory. Between 2012 and 2025, lifetime marijuana use fell 23% among 12th graders, 35% among 10th graders, and 17% among 8th graders. Past-month use dropped 25% among 12th graders, 45% among 10th graders, and 38% among 8th graders during that same period.
NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano said the government data contradict longstanding claims that legalization would drive youth consumption.
“Sensational claims that adult-use legalization laws are linked with greater marijuana use by teens are simply not backed by government data,” he said.