Adolescent Cannabis Use After Cannabis Legalization and the COVID-19 Pandemic

Did rates of adolescent cannabis use in northern California change after recreational cannabis legalization or the COVID-19 pandemic?This cross-sectional study of 1 308 655 questionnaires from adolescents universally screened for past-year cannabis use during standard well-child visits from 2011 to 2024 found that rates of adolescent cannabis use increased after recreational cannabis legalization passage and continued to increase after implementation of legal retail sales, then decreased after the COVID-19 pandemic.These findings suggest that adolescent cannabis use was sensitive to broader changes in cannabis policy and societal disruptions, including the COVID-19 pandemic.

Corresponding Author: Kelly C. Young-Wolff, PhD, MPH, Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, 4480 Hacienda Dr, Pleasanton, CA 94588 (kelly.c.young-wolff@kp.org).

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