Vermont High School Marijuana Use Falls to Lowest Level in a Decade, State Survey Finds

Marijuana use among Vermont high school students declined significantly in 2025, with both current and lifetime use falling to their lowest levels in at least a decade, according to a new report from the Vermont Department of Health.

The 2025 Vermont Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that 18% of high school students reported using marijuana during the past 30 days, down from 22% in 2023. Current use was also below the 22% reported in 2015 and well below the 27% recorded in 2019. The Department of Health said the declines from both 2015 and 2023 were statistically significant.

Current marijuana use increased steadily by grade level, ranging from 10% among ninth graders to 15% among 10th graders, 20% among 11th graders and 24% among seniors. Overall use did not statistically differ between male and female students.

Lifetime marijuana use also declined. Three in 10 high school students, or 30%, said they had ever tried marijuana, compared with 35% in 2023 and 37% in 2015. The 2025 figure represents a statistically significant decline from both years. Lifetime use stood at 16% among ninth graders, 25% among 10th graders, 35% among 11th graders and 42% among seniors.

The downward trend extended to younger students. Among Vermont middle school students, 3% reported using marijuana during the previous 30 days, down from 4% in 2023. The two-year decline was statistically significant, although the Department of Health said the 2025 rate was not statistically different from the 2015 rate. Marijuana use ranged from 1% among sixth graders to 3% among seventh graders and 5% among eighth graders.

Other marijuana-related measures declined as well. Among high school students who drove during the previous 30 days, 10% reported driving while using marijuana, down from 12% in 2023. Meanwhile, 18% of high school students reported riding with a driver who had been using marijuana, compared with 22% in 2023. Both declines were statistically significant. The survey was administered between January and May 2025 at 58 Vermont high schools. Of 15,402 completed questionnaires, 15,077 passed quality-control checks and were included in the final data set. Participation was anonymous and voluntary, with results weighted to account for absenteeism, incomplete surveys and nonparticipating schools.