Is Teen Cannabis Use Really on the Rise?

The same FDA chief that has been freaking out over a supposed teen vaping "epidemic" (that is far more molehill than mountain, by the way), Scott Gottlieb, is now also freaking out about teen cannabis use and how it relates to legalization.   In fact, he says he is now more worried about weed than vaping, which really says something.  But is there any truth to his fears, particularly the idea that teen cannabis use is on the rise as a result of both medical and recreational legalization in more and more states?

The answer is apparently, not really.  California is practically ground-zero for both medical and recreational legalization, and their survey actually shows a decrease in teen cannabis use, particularly in the younger grades, from 2013-2015 to 2015-2017 despite medical legalization in 1996, expanded decriminalization in 2011, and recreational legalization via Prop 64 in November 2016.  And while the national Monitoring the Future survey showed a slight increase in teen use in 2017 compared with 2016, it had been previously dropping from 2011 to 2016 despite more and more states liberalizing their pot laws during that time.  Some epidemic, huh?  NOT.

In other words, there is no increase in teen cannabis use that can be unambiguously linked to legalization.  And teen use is still far below its 1978-1979 and 1997 peaks, with no indication that it will even come close.  Thus, another myth bites the dust.  Plus, alcohol, tobacco, and most other substances are at or close to record lows among middle and high schoolers, while the opioid epidemic rages among American adults along with the "pink elephant in the room".  So stop freaking out already, and see the forest for the trees.

UPDATE:  In terms of problematic use of cannabis, a new study finds that the legal status of cannabis is essentially irrelevant.  While that particular study focused on adults, it dovetails rather nicely with another study from last year finding no increase on problematic cannabis use among 12-17 year olds following the passage of legalization.  Thus, it looks like the legalization advocates were indeed correct all along, that legalization would result in modest increases in adult use, and negligible increases (or even decreases) in teen use or abuse at any age.  So put that in your pipe and smoke it!