A study published in JAMA Psychiatry found an increase in cannabis use and cannabis use disorder (CUD) among adults in the United States between 2021 and 2024.
The research, conducted by scientists from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), analyzed data from 186,823 adults who participated in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health during that period.
Among adult men, the prevalence of cannabis use disorder rose from 7.3% in 2021 to 9.3% in 2024, while among women it increased from 4.5% to 5.6%.
Cannabis use also increased. Between 2021 and 2024, it rose from 22.2% to 25.7% among men and from 17.7% to 21.2% among women.
The study also found that among people who had used cannabis in the previous year, 36.2% of men and 26.6% of women met the criteria for cannabis use disorder in 2024.
More Read
What is cannabis use disorder?
CUD is a medical diagnosis used when a person has difficulty controlling cannabis use and it begins to cause significant problems in their life.
Warning signs include:
- Using more cannabis than intended.
- Trying to cut down or quit but being unable to do so.
- Experiencing strong cravings.
- Spending a significant amount of time using cannabis.
- Continuing to use it despite family, work, social or psychological problems.
- Giving up important activities.
- Using cannabis in dangerous situations.
- Needing larger amounts to achieve the same effect.
The disorder can be mild, moderate or severe, depending on the number of symptoms.
More Read
Therefore, not everyone who uses marijuana is necessarily addicted, but the data cited in the report support that cannabis can lead to dependence and addiction.
