Adolescent Delta-8 Use Remained Unchanged Even as Marijuana Use Fell, Study Finds
- Marijuana use among U.S. 12th graders declined from 30.4% in 2023 to 25.5% in 2024, while overall cannabis product use also decreased.
- Delta-8 THC use among 12th graders remained steady, with 11.4% in 2023 and 12.0% in 2024, despite declines in marijuana use.
- The proportion of 12th graders using delta-8 THC among those who used any cannabis product increased from 36.1% in 2023 to 45.8% in 2024, with co-use of delta-8 THC and marijuana also rising.
- Researchers recommend that delta-8 THC and similar hemp-derived intoxicants be included in youth cannabis prevention, public health monitoring, and policy discussions, especially given their legal status and availability.
A new study published by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that while marijuana use among U.S. 12th graders declined in recent years, reported use of delta-8 THC remained unchanged.
Researchers from the University of Southern California and the University of Washington analyzed nationally representative data from the Monitoring the Future Study, focusing on past-year marijuana and delta-8 THC use among U.S. adolescents.
Among 12th graders, past-year marijuana use fell from 30.4% in 2023 to 25.5% in 2024. Use of any cannabis product, defined as marijuana and/or delta-8 THC, also declined, dropping from 31.5% to 26.3%.
However, delta-8 THC use among 12th graders did not see a similar decrease, remaining statistically unchanged at 11.4% in 2023 and 12.0% in 2024.
The study also found that among 12th graders who reported using any cannabis product, delta-8 THC use increased from 36.1% in 2023 to 45.8% in 2024. Co-use of delta-8 THC and marijuana also rose, from 32.8% to 43.0%.
Researchers found that co-use was also common among younger students in 2024. Among adolescents who reported cannabis use, 34.2% of 8th graders and 47.4% of 10th graders also reported using delta-8 THC with marijuana.
The study’s authors concluded that delta-8 THC and other intoxicating hemp-derived products should be addressed alongside marijuana in youth-focused cannabis prevention efforts, public health surveillance and policy discussions.
Delta-8 THC is a hemp-derived cannabinoid that can produce intoxicating effects similar to delta-9 THC, the primary psychoactive compound found in marijuana. Because many delta-8 products are made from federally legal hemp, they have become widely available in many parts of the country, including in states where marijuana remains illegal or more tightly regulated. However, a national ban on most intoxicating hemp products is set to take effect in November.