In the Connecticut Department of Public Health’s recently published a report, “2024 Cannabis Health Statistics Report,” relying on data from the Connecticut Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey, conducted in 2017, 2021, and 2022. The Department examined the percentage of past-month marijuana users across different age groups in Connecticut:
Percentage of Past-Month Marijuana Users Among Age Groups in Connecticut:
- 18-34 years:
- 2017: 19.4%
- 2021: 22.9%
- 2022: 27.9%
- 35-54 years:
- 2017: 8.1%
- 2021: 12.3%
- 2022: 15.7%
- 55+ years:
- 2017: 3.4%
- 2021: 5.7%
- 2022: 9.6%
On July 1st, 2021, Connecticut officially legalized marijuana for personal use. Since then, each age group has continued to see an increase in the proportion of individuals who are past-month marijuana users. Since legalization, 18–34-year-olds had an increase of 21.83%, 35–54-year-olds had an increase of 27.64%, and those 55 or older had an increase of 68.42%.
The report noted, “Young adult residents continue to report low perceived risk from cannabis use, use it frequently, experience higher rates of cannabis-related adverse health outcomes, and report that they think about or attempt quitting cannabis at a higher rate than adults in older age groups.”