The prevalence of cannabis use disorder (CUD) among adults in the United States has risen significantly in both males and females across multiple age groups, while alcohol use disorder (AUD) has declined or remained stable, according to the results of a
study issued today by
JAMA Psychiatry.
Why It’s Relevant
CUD is defined as a problematic pattern of cannabis use that leads to clinically significant impairment or distress. As reports show
cannabis surpassing alcohol in popularity, tracking changes in the prevalence and severity of CUD by sex and age can help inform public health prevention and treatment strategies.
By the Numbers
- The results were derived from a cross-section of 186,823 adults who responded to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) from 2021 to 2024.
- Among males, past-year CUD increased from 7.3% in 2021 to 9.3% in 2024, while moderate-to-severe CUD increased from 3.1% to 4.1%.
- Among females, past-year CUD prevalence increased from 4.5% to 5.6%, while moderate-to-severe CUD increased from 1.7% to 2.5%.
- Meanwhile, prevalence of AUD remained stable among males from 2021 to 2024 (13.3% to 12.4%) while decreasing from 9.7% to 8.2% in females. The only increase in past-year AUD occurred in males ages 18 to 20—going from 6.9% to 10.4%
What’s More
The steepest increases in overall CUD occurred among males and females ages 35 to 49 and males ages 50 and older. The steepest increases in moderate-to-severe CUD occurred in males and females ages 50 and older.
The Other Side
The survey excluded incarcerated and unhoused individuals, so it may have underestimated the prevalence of cannabis use.
Takeaway Message
The researchers said that these findings “repudiate conventional assumptions that cannabis carries a low addiction risk and that mostly young adults with CUD have mild symptoms,” and reveal “an urgent need for evidence-based, age- and sex-inclusive public health and clinical strategies to address rapidly evolving patterns of cannabis use.”
Related Information
Source
Beth Han, et al. Trends in the prevalence and severity of alcohol and cannabis use disorders among U.S. adults. JAMA Psychiatry. Published August 19, 2026. doi:10.1159/000485800
(Image: Getty Images/iStock/GeorgePeters)