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An Oregon State University study found that in states where recreational cannabis has been legalized, young adults not in college more often became frequent users of the drug than their college-enrolled peers.
After state legalization, young adults not in college were also more likely to meet the criteria for cannabis use disorder, meaning they continued to use the drug despite problems it caused in their lives.
The study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, used data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health from 2008-2019, which surveyed college-eligible young adults ages 18-23 about their drug and alcohol use.
The dataset is representative of the demographics of young adults nationally and at the state level, and the study covers a longer stretch of time post-legalization than previous research, said lead author David Kerr, a…
