15 Teen Cannabis Use Statistics: Trends, Grades, and Methods

Despite the spread of legal cannabis stores for adults, teen cannabis use in the U.S. has not climbed. The two largest federal surveys, Monitoring the Future and the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, both show adolescent use holding steady or falling. In 2025, 8.7% of 12-to-17-year-olds used marijuana in the past year, down from 10.9% in 2021. The statistics below cover use by grade and age, how teens consume cannabis, hemp-derived products like delta-8, and use disorder. Cannabis is for adults 21 and older in every legal state; this page is for parents, educators, and anyone tracking the data.

1. 8.7% of adolescents used marijuana in the past year

The 2025 National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that 8.7% of people aged 12 to 17, or 2.2 million adolescents, used marijuana in the past year, down from 10.9% (2.8 million) in 2021.

2. Past-month teen use fell to 5.0%

Past-month marijuana use among 12-to-17-year-olds decreased from 6.1% in 2021 to 5.0% in 2025, about 1.3 million adolescents.

3. Fewer teens are trying marijuana for the first time

2.4% of adolescents (615,000) initiated marijuana use in the past year in 2025, down from 3.5% (913,000) in 2021.

4. 26% of high school seniors used cannabis in the past year

The 2025 Monitoring the Future survey of 23,726 students in 270 schools found past-year cannabis use of 8% among 8th graders, 16% among 10th graders, and 26% among 12th graders, all stable from 2024.

5. Teen substance use remains near its 2021 low

For the fifth year in a row, use of most substances among teens hovered around the low point reached in 2021, when the pandemic disrupted both drug availability and teens' social lives, according to NIH.

6. Most teens abstain from marijuana, alcohol, and nicotine

91% of 8th graders, 82% of 10th graders, and 66% of 12th graders reported no use of marijuana, alcohol, or nicotine in the past 30 days, holding at historically high levels.

7. Alcohol is still more common than cannabis among teens

Past-year alcohol use was 11% in 8th grade, 24% in 10th grade, and 41% in 12th grade, compared with 8%, 16%, and 26% for cannabis. Nicotine vaping was 9%, 14%, and 20%.

8. 79.5% of teen users smoke marijuana

Among 12-to-17-year-olds who used marijuana in the past year, 79.5% smoked it in 2025.

9. 74% of teen users vape marijuana

74.0% of adolescent past-year users vaped marijuana, far more than among users aged 26 or older (32.9%). Our vaping vs. smoking guide compares the two methods for adults.

10. About a third of teen users eat or drink cannabis

36.6% of teen past-year users ate or drank marijuana, and 16.8% dabbed waxes, shatter, or other concentrates. Our edibles statistics cover accidental ingestion by younger children.

11. 11.4% of seniors used delta-8 THC in 2023

The first national estimate, published in JAMA, found 11.4% of 12th graders used delta-8 THC in the past year, versus 30.4% who used marijuana. About 91% of delta-8 users also used marijuana.

12. Teen delta-8 use is higher where cannabis is not legal

Past-year delta-8 use among seniors was 14.0% in states without adult-use cannabis laws vs. 8.0% in states with them, and 14.4% vs. 5.7% in states without and with delta-8 regulations.

13. 9% of seniors used hemp-derived intoxicants in 2025

In 2025, 2% of 8th graders, 6% of 10th graders, and 9% of 12th graders used cannabis products made from hemp, including intoxicating products such as delta-8 THC. See our delta-8 THC statistics.

14. 4.4% of adolescents had a past-year marijuana use disorder

In 2025, 4.4% of 12-to-17-year-olds (1.1 million) met criteria for a marijuana use disorder in the past year, with no change from 2021.

15. A third of teens with the disorder had a severe form

Among adolescents with a marijuana use disorder, 33.4% had a severe disorder and 35.7% a mild one. The severe share was the highest of any age group, compared with 18.0% among all people aged 12 or older with the disorder.

The data shows teen cannabis use is not rising with adult legalization, but a meaningful minority of teens still use it, often by vaping or with unregulated hemp products. A few practical points:

• Store adult products securely. Keep cannabis locked and in child-resistant packaging; legal sales are limited to adults 21 and older.
• Know the rules. Our state cannabis law pages explain age limits and possession rules.
• Talk about potency. Today's products are far stronger than in past decades; see our THC potency statistics.
• Compare adult trends. Our cannabis use statistics cover use across all ages.

What percentage of teens use marijuana?

In 2025, 8.7% of 12-to-17-year-olds used marijuana in the past year, and 5.0% used it in the past month. By grade, past-year use was 8% in 8th grade, 16% in 10th, and 26% in 12th.

Is teen marijuana use increasing?

No. Past-year use among adolescents fell from 10.9% in 2021 to 8.7% in 2025, and the Monitoring the Future survey found use stable in all grades from 2024 to 2025, near the low reached in 2021.

How do most teens use marijuana?

Smoking and vaping. Among adolescent past-year users in 2025, 79.5% smoked and 74.0% vaped marijuana. 36.6% ate or drank it, and 16.8% dabbed concentrates.

Do teens use delta-8 THC?

Yes. 11.4% of 12th graders used delta-8 in 2023, and in 2025, 9% of seniors reported using hemp-derived intoxicating products such as delta-8.