Cannabis Use Disorder Surges Among U.S. Adults as Alcohol Use Disorder Declines
A recent study published in JAMA Psychiatry, led by Beth Han and Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, analyzed data from over 186,000 U.S. adults between 2021 and 2024, revealing a significant shift in substance use disorders. While alcohol use disorder saw a modest decline from 28.8 million to 27.1 million adults, cannabis use disorder sharply increased from 15.3 million to 19.4 million adults, a rise of over 25%. The increase was particularly pronounced among certain demographics: moderate-to-severe cannabis use disorder rose by approximately 32% among men and 47% among women. Notably, among women aged 50 and older, this disorder increased sevenfold, from 0.1% to 0.7% of that population, in just three years. Dr. Volkow emphasized that the perception of cannabis as non-addictive may be incorrect, highlighting a growing public health concern that often goes unaddressed in workplaces and treatment settings.