Cannabis use disorder rising among US adults, study finds
byJESSICA A. BOTELHO | The National News Desk
Thu, August 20, 2026 at 11:59 AM
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SAN ANSELMO, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 11: A view of a marijuana plant on August 11, 2025 in San Anselmo, California. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Cannabis use disorder is becoming more common among adults in the U.S., with researchers finding increases among both men and women as marijuana use has expanded nationwide, according to a new study
SAN ANSELMO, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 11: A view of a marijuana plant on August 11, 2025 in San Anselmo, California. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
The study was published on Wednesday in JAMA Psychiatry and examined nationally representative survey data from nearly 187,000 adults between 2021 and 2024. Researchers used established diagnostic criteria to identify cannabis use disorder, or CUD, which involves problematic cannabis use that can interfere with daily life
“Moderate-to-severe CUD warrants clinical treatment, and significant increases in its prevalence challenge the notion that cannabis has low addictive potential,” the study noted.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 11: Marijuana flower is displayed in a jar on August 11, 2025 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Among men, the prevalence of cannabis use disorder rose from 7.3% in 2021 to 9.3% in 2024. Among women, it increased from 4.5% to 5.6% during the same period
Researchers also found increases in moderate-to-severe cases. That rate rose from 3.1% to 4.1% among men and from 1.7% to 2.5% among women. Increases were particularly notable among adults ages 35 to 49 and those 50 and older
Overall cannabis use also climbed, per the study. About 25.7% of men reported using cannabis in 2024, up from 22.2% in 2021. Among women, use increased from 17.7% to 21.2%
The number of U.S. adults with cannabis use disorder increased from an estimated 15.3 million in 2021 to 19.4 million in 2024, researchers said
The trend contrasted with alcohol use disorder, or AUD, which generally remained stable or declined during the study period
“Although alcohol use disorder (AUD) remains a highly prevalent substance use disorder, the number of U.S. adults with AUD declined from 28.8 million to 27.1 million from 2021 through 2024,” according to the study. “By contrast, the number of adults with cannabis use disorder (CUD) increased from 15.3 million to 19.4 million from 2021 through 2024, paralleling increasing cannabis potency, expanding legalization, and decreasing perceived harm.”
The authors of the study said the findings challenge perceptions that cannabis has little addictive potential and underscore the need for routine screening, early detection, and access to evidence-based treatment
