Teen Marijuana Use Fell to Three-Decade Low

Data from 2025 shows a significant decline in cannabis consumption among adolescents across the United States.

Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in Teens

Bold vector editorial illustration of a green seedling sprouting from abstract soil, symbolizing positive health trends among adolescents. — Adolescent marijuana use in the U.S. has hit a three-decade low in 2025, driven by shifting perceptions of health risks among teenagers. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Do you believe the decline in teen marijuana use indicates a positive shift in community norms?

Adolescent marijuana use in the United States dropped to a three-decade low by 2025. This downward trend is supported by data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

Why it matters

The decline in substance use suggests a shift in adolescent behavior, with 12th graders increasingly perceiving regular marijuana use as a significant health risk.

The share of 12th graders perceiving great risk from regular marijuana use climbed to 39 percent in 2025 from 30 percent in 2019. Furthermore, 72 percent of the recent drop in past-year use is attributed to teenagers who never started using marijuana.

The players

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The CDC is the national public health agency of the United States that tracks health behaviors through its Youth Risk Behavior Survey.

The details

Researchers analyzed trends using the Monitoring the Future survey and the CDC's Youth Risk Behavior Survey to map usage patterns. The findings indicate that both initiation and continued usage among youth have declined significantly alongside drops in alcohol and tobacco consumption.

In 2011, cannabis use among teens in Northern California reached 10 percent.
By 2019, 30 percent of 12th graders perceived great risk in regular marijuana use.
Between 2020 and 2025, non-initiation accounted for the majority of the national decline in use.
By the end of 2024, Northern California teen marijuana use reached 6.5 percent.
In 2025, 39 percent of 12th graders reported they believe regular marijuana use poses a great risk.

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Culture Shift

This decline reflects broader societal shifts in adolescent behavior and health perception captured by the Monitoring the Future survey. The trend mirrors a generational move away from substance use as normalized activities, signaling a departure from past adolescent consumption patterns.

Parents and local community leaders may find this data useful for understanding shifting peer norms and the effectiveness of current health messaging. These figures provide a concrete baseline for families evaluating the health choices and habits of teenagers today.

The takeaway

The trend demonstrates that the majority of the recent decline in marijuana use stems from teenagers choosing never to start rather than stopping once they have begun. Understanding these non-initiation patterns is critical for health experts aiming to sustain these positive behavioral shifts.