US Study Reveals Rising Marijuana Use Among College Students Over the Last 5 Years

A new study conducted as part of the “Monitoring the Future” (MTF) program by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) shows that marijuana use and related products among US college students have significantly increased over the past five years. However, the study also notes that while marijuana use has risen, alcohol consumption has continued to decline for the tenth consecutive year.

Additionally, the authors highlight that despite the expansion of marijuana legalization in new regions of the country, increased availability has not led to a noticeable rise in use among minors—children and teenagers—whose average marijuana consumption has remained unchanged over the past 5–10 years.

Key Findings from the Study

• Five years ago, about 38% of surveyed college students (ages 21–25) reported having tried marijuana. By 2020, this figure had risen to 44%.
• Overall, marijuana use among this group has reached levels last seen in the 1980s.
• Among young adults in the same age group who are not students, marijuana use remained stable at 43%, the same as five and ten years ago.
• Similarly, the rate of marijuana use among teenagers has not changed, despite a significant increase in legal purchasing channels.

The study also notes an increase in the average number of regular marijuana users across all age groups over the past five years. In 2015, 5% of respondents reported daily marijuana use; by 2020, this had grown to 8%. There were also notable increases in the proportion of people who use marijuana every two weeks (occasional use) and several times a week (moderate use).

Trends in Vaping and Other Substances

Vaping marijuana, using electronic vaporizers, has become especially popular among students. The rate of marijuana vaping rose from 5% of users in 2015 to 14% in 2019, before dropping slightly to 12% in 2020. Meanwhile, the use of tobacco products—specifically electronic cigarettes and vaporizers—remained steady at 20% among this group over the past five years. Notably, cigarette smoking among students dropped to 4%, a historic low.

The report also highlights a surprising increase in the popularity of psychedelics among students. From 2019 to 2020, the number of respondents who had tried LSD, psilocybin, or similar substances rose from 5% to 9%. Among minors, this figure remained stable at 10% over the past decade.

Alcohol and Other Substances on the Decline

Despite the growing interest in marijuana, students and their peers appear to be less interested in alcohol and other legal or illegal recreational substances, such as painkillers. Alcohol and similar substance use declined from 2015 to 2020, continuing a trend observed in previous years.

Possible Reasons for the Increase in Marijuana Use

Experts and analysts are considering several explanations for the observed rise in marijuana use among students. Some believe the main factor is the ongoing legalization of marijuana across various regions. Others suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions, which reduced the number of social events where young people might drink alcohol or use other drugs, created a more comfortable environment for marijuana use. According to this theory, people spent more time at home, where marijuana is a more preferred means of intoxication than alcohol or stimulants.

John Schulenberg, a psychology professor at the University of Michigan who oversaw data collection for the study, commented: “It’s quite possible that the increase in marijuana use among students and some other groups is related to the effects of isolation. People are simply staying home and using their marijuana supplies to calm their nerves, shaken by the whole situation with COVID-19 and efforts to fight the infection. Clubs and parties were restricted for almost a year, so young people had fewer opportunities and reasons to drink or use other recreational substances. Supporting this idea, many respondents in 2020 reported binge drinking (more than three drinks per occasion) less frequently.”

Dr. Nora Volkow, head of NIDA, agrees, noting that legal marijuana has helped many people cope with the monotony and boredom of ongoing quarantine. “In these extreme conditions, I believe many people fully appreciated and tried marijuana, finding its effects stimulating and therapeutic enough for regular use,” she said.