The 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) asked those who used marijuana about the ways in which they used it. While many readers likely know that the marijuana is often smoked, the NSDUH found that an alarming number of Americans also vape it.
Number of Past-Month & Past-Year Users Who Vaped Marijuana (2021-2023):
Between 2021, when the NSDUH first asked about vaping marijuana, and 2023, the number of past-month marijuana users who vaped it increased by 114%, from approximately 7.4 million in 2021 to 15.8 million in 2023. Additionally, the number of past-year users who vaped marijuana increased by 68%, from approximately 14.1 million in 2021 to 23.7 million in 2023. Both of these trends vastly outpace the rise in the general use of marijuana over this same time period.
As a proportion of users aged 12 or older, in 2023, 38.3% of past-year marijuana users indicated that they vaped it. Likewise, 36.2% of past-month users indicated that they vaped it. Yet there is one group that especially favors the use of vapes: minors. 63.4% of past-year users between the ages of 12 and 17 reported vaping marijuana.
Vapes are easily concealed and often come in high potencies, often above 90% THC—smokeable marijuana is often below 20%. The use of high-potency vaping products is associated with adverse health outcomes, including heightened paranoia, hallucinations, and lasting mental health effects like anxiety and depression, as well as the development of cannabis use disorder. These outcomes are harming individuals, families and communities and shed light on the products that are being produced and promoted by the profit-driven marijuana industry.
This issue is top of mind for our parent advocates at the Parent Action Network. If you’re interested in getting involved with parent or family advocacy, please email pan@learnaboutsam.org.