A recent study by National Survey on Drug Use and Health found surprising results from a sample of 68,263 adolescents in the United States between the ages of 12 and 17 years. The participants were surveyed from 2015 to 2019, and the findings represent an estimated 25 million adolescents per year during that period. The researchers found that 2.5% of the respondents had cannabis use disorder (CUD), 10.2% had non-diagnostic cannabis use (NDCU), and 87.3% reported nonuse.
Comparing nonusers to those with NDCU, the study revealed that individuals with NDCU had significantly higher odds (approximately 2 to 4 times greater) of experiencing various adverse psychosocial events. These events included major depression, suicidal ideation, slower thoughts, difficulty concentrating, truancy, low academic performance, arrest, fighting, and aggression. The prevalence of these adverse events was highest among adolescents with CUD, followed by those with NDCU, and lowest among nonusers.
In summary, the study found a strong association between NDCU and a range of negative psychosocial outcomes in adolescents, emphasizing the importance of addressing cannabis use and its potential consequences among young people.