Trends in Treatment for Cannabis Use Disorder and Cannabis Use Amongst Young Adults and Adolescents in the United States, 2008-2018

Keywords: Cannabis use disorder, Cannabis; Marijuana; Substance use disorder; Treatment; Young adult; Adolescent.
Session Type: Virtual Paper Abstract
Day: Tuesday
Session Start / End Time: 3/1/2022 11:20 AM (Eastern Time (US & Canada)) - 3/1/2022 12:40 PM (Eastern Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 17

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Recreational cannabis legalization (RCL) has expanded among US states. One concern is the potential for increases in cannabis use disorder (CUD) in adolescents (age 12-17), for whom brain development is ongoing, and in young adults (age 18-24), who exhibit the highest rate of cannabis use among all age groups. OBJECTIVE: This research investigated the impact of RCL in the US on the proportion of past-month cannabis users admitted to treatment for CUD, among adolescents and young adults. METHODS: Annual 2008-2018 state-level data for past-month cannabis use and CUD treatment admissions for each age group were derived from Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) datasets. We employed difference-in-differences analysis to test whether the proportion of past-month cannabis users admitted to CUD treatment differed before versus after RCL, after adjusting for socioeconomic disadvantage, health insurance rates, and treatment availability. RESULTS: The proportion of cannabis users admitted to treatment declined nationally from 2008-2018. For young adults, this proportion was significantly lower in states with RCL, but this was the case in these states both before and after legalization. For both age groups, there was no significant effect of RCL on the proportion of cannabis users admitted to CUD treatment. CONCLUSION: The proportion of past-month cannabis users admitted to CUD treatment is declining among adolescents and, particularly, young adults, among whom cannabis use is increasing. This decline may indicate an emerging unmet need for CUD treatment among populations most vulnerable to CUD in an era of rapidly changing norms around cannabis.