Large increases in cannabis use found in adolescents and young adults

Millenium Health, a clinical drug testing laboratory, has found levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) detected in urine have increased across all age groups since 2019, with the largest increases observed among adolescents and young adults. The Millennium Health Signals report “Cannabis Use Climbs to New Heights in Young People and Females with a Substance Use Disorder,” was published last month, and details an analysis of over 1.8 million urine drug test results. From 2019 to 2025, the detection of cannabis use in those with a SUD grew 34.3% among adolescents (ages 12‐17) and 32.6% among young adults (ages 18‐24). The levels of THC—the main psychoactive compound in cannabis—in these urine specimens jumped by 93.1% among adolescents and 63.9% among young adults who have a SUD. “The findings are concerning because cannabis use is increasingly associated with negative health effects, and a growing body of literature suggests that young people may be particularly vulnerable to these harms,” said Millennium Health Vice President of Clinical Affairs, Eric Dawson, PharmD. “The findings for women are particularly troubling because some research suggests that they tend to progress from initial use of cannabis to more problematic use more quickly than men,” Dawson added, noting that the results show that the gender gap is closing as more women are testing positive for THC. “They may also experience more severe psychiatric, medical, and socioeconomic consequences from cannabis use than men,” said Dawson.