US Parents' Marijuana Use Has Increased Sharply, Study Finds

Cannabis use among American parents has seen a substantial increase between 2012 and 2024, according to a new study. Researchers estimate that in 2024, at least 5.9 million U.S. children were living with a parent who used marijuana on most days.

By 2024, 8% of parents reported using cannabis on most days, with 5.2% using it daily. Furthermore, 6.7% of parents met the criteria for cannabis use disorder (CUD). The study also found that daily cannabis use among parents was about four times more common than daily alcohol use.

Increases in cannabis use were observed across nearly all demographic groups, with notable rises among younger and unmarried parents, those in lower-income households, and individuals without a four-year college degree.

The study, which analyzed data from nearly 482,000 U.S. individuals aged 12 and older from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), was published in the journal Addictive Behaviors. Researchers were from the University of California, San Diego.

Experts express concern about the normalization of marijuana use and its potential impact on children. "Marijuana has become so socially acceptable that people are starting to overlook the risks," said Dr. Jarid Pachter, who specializes in family medicine and addiction medicine at Stony Brook Medicine and was not involved in the study. "Just because it's legal doesn't mean it's harmless."

Pachter also highlighted the potential for children to perceive regular marijuana use at home as normal, noting that studies show children of parents who use marijuana are more likely to use it themselves. "That doesn't necessarily mean the parent's marijuana use is causing the child to use, but there's clearly an association."

The psychoactive chemical in marijuana, THC, is known to affect attention, memory, coordination, and reaction time, which can be critical for parents responsible for children's safety. "When you have young children, you need to be alert and able to respond to their needs," Pachter stated. "My concern is about being impaired when you're responsible for a child's safety."

Accidental ingestion of cannabis products, particularly edibles like gummies and chocolates, poses a risk to children who may mistake them for candy. Pachter pointed to a significant increase in emergency room visits involving children who accidentally consumed marijuana, with some experiencing severe sedation, confusion, difficulty walking, and in serious cases, breathing problems requiring hospitalization.

Frequent marijuana use, especially of high-potency products, is associated with an increased risk of developing cannabis use disorder and potentially certain psychiatric problems in susceptible individuals. Marijuana smoke also contains harmful chemicals similar to tobacco smoke, raising concerns about secondhand exposure for children, though long-term health effects are still being studied.

For parents who use marijuana daily, Pachter advises self-reflection on whether they can abstain and if their use is impacting their work, relationships, or responsibilities, particularly their ability to care for their children.

The study noted limitations, including the lack of assessment of parenting quality or children's health, and that the findings do not establish causality between parental cannabis use and adverse child outcomes. The data also relied on self-reported usage, which may be subject to bias.

Researchers called for further studies to examine the association between parental cannabis use, household exposure, storage practices, and children's health or developmental outcomes. Funding for the study was provided by the California Department of Cannabis Control, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.