For years, a central argument against marijuana legalization in the U.S. was that easier access for adults would encourage more teenagers to use the drug. More than ten years after the first states opened regulated recreational markets, however, national survey data show a different pattern.
Marijuana use among teenagers has fallen substantially, while consumption among older Americans has continued to increase.
According to data from a recent CDC survey, nearly 13% of teenagers reported using it in the last 30 days in 2025. That was the lowest figure recorded by the survey. In 2011, the share was 23.1%, meaning the reported rate has declined by about 44% since then.
Lifetime use among students has also decreased. The proportion who said they had ever consumed cannabis fell from 40% in 2011 to 26% in 2025. Separate federal research points in the same direction. A recent National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that 8.7% of Americans between 12 and 17 had used marijuana during the previous year, continuing a downward trend among youths.
The figures coincide with a major expansion of recreational marijuana legalization across the country. While the timing alone cannot establish that legalization caused youth consumption to decline, the data do not show the broad increase among minors that some legalization opponents had anticipated.
At the same time, cannabis consumption among older adults has been moving upward. A New York City study examining 315 adults aged 65 and above found that 22.2 percent had used marijuana within the previous year. Meanwhile, 16.2% reported use during the previous month and 11.1 percent had used it within the last 24 hours.
Among those who had used it during the previous year, 60% said they sought its intoxicating effects, while 52.9% used it for sleep, 55.7% to ease tension, and 30% for pain management.
The New York research was limited by its small sample and location, so its findings cannot be applied directly to all older Americans. National evidence nevertheless points toward a similar trend. A 2025 analysis found that marijuana use among people 65 and above rose from 4.8 percent in 2021 to 7 percent in 2023.
The findings suggest a changing demographic profile for cannabis use in America. They do not establish a direct link between declining youth consumption and increased use among seniors. Instead, the two developments appear to be occurring alongside one another.
The shift also presents new public health questions. Researchers have raised concerns about possible interactions between cannabis and prescription medicines, as well as increased sensitivity to some effects among older adults.
For entities like Tilray Brands Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) (TSX: TLRY), these research findings provide food for thought as they design their strategic plans on how to expand their market penetration within different demographic groups.
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