According to an analysis of data from 1991–2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), a biennial school-based survey representative of US high school students, adolescent cannabis use rates have largely followed a similar inverted-U pattern, with rates peaking in 1999 and subsequently declining.
Lifetime cannabis use decreased from 47.3% in 1999 to 30.1% in 2023. Recent use declined from 27.1% to 17.8%. Early-age initiation declined from 11.5% to 6.5%. A significant gender shift occurred: while males historically reported higher rates, in 2023, females demonstrated higher prevalence of both lifetime (33.4% vs. 27.0%) and recent use (19.4% vs. 16.4%). Consistent racial/ethnic differences persisted, with Asian adolescents reporting consistently lower prevalence and non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic adolescents reporting higher rates across most metrics.
Find the full study here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306460326000419?via%3Dihub