- Marijuana addiction is rising in the U.S., especially among young adults, while fewer people with cannabis use disorder are seeking treatment, according to AP News.
- Daily marijuana use has surpassed daily alcohol use, with nearly 18 million Americans reporting that they smoke pot every or nearly every day.
- Roughly 30% of marijuana users experience cannabis use disorder, and heavy use is linked to cognitive issues, psychosis risk, and increased ER visits.
- Modern cannabis products contain far higher THC levels (up to 40%+) compared with less than 5% in the 1960s, increasing potential health risks.
The past few years in the U.S. have been marked by increasing numbers of marijuana addicts and fewer of them are seeking help for their substance abuse, an AP News report recently highlighted.
According to the report, young adults’ marijuana use has reached historic levels in recent years. The outlet also reported last year that there are more Americans who say they smoke pot every or nearly every day — nearly 18 million — than those who say they drink daily — nearly 15 million.
The outlet noted that as the number of daily pot smokers rises, cannabis use disorder is also climbing, with an estimated three in 10 marijuana users experiencing the disorder. Smita Das, an addiction psychiatrist at Stanford University, told AP News that marijuana use is becoming an addiction, even though many believe it’s not possible to develop an addiction to the substance.
“There’s this pervasive belief that you can’t become addicted, it can’t actually be a problem,” Das said. “It has to do with this myth that cannabis is safe, natural and benign.”
Despite growing addictions, a 2025 study from Florida Atlantic University found that the share of people who were treated for cannabis use disorder declined from 19% to 13% between 2003 and 2019, AP News reported.
In addition to cannabis use disorder, frequent or heavy pot use “has been linked to problems with learning, memory and attention as well as chronic nausea, vomiting and lung problems,” as well as “earlier onset of psychosis in people with genetic risk factors for psychotic disorders like schizophrenia,” AP News reported. States that have legalized recreational marijuana have seen heightened levels of emergency room visits for “acute cannabis intoxication.”
According to the outlet, increased risks also stem from the fact that pot widely available to consumers today has become significantly stronger than it used to be. In the 1960s, most pot contained less than 5% THC, but today’s THC can be 40% or higher.
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