Official websites use. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Corresponding author: Hasin, Deborah deborah. In the United States, policies regarding the medical and nonmedical use of cannabis are changing rapidly. In , a total of 34 US states have legalized cannabis for adult medical use, and 15 of these states have legalized adult non-medical use.
These changing policies have raised questions about increasing prevalences of cannabis use, changing perceptions regarding frequent use, and potentially related outcomes such as comorbid psychiatric illness or driving under the influence of cannabis. Research regarding the correlates of any and frequent cannabis use is also developing quickly.
This article reviews recent empirical studies concerning 1 adult trends in cannabis use, 2 state cannabis laws and related outcomes, and 3 emerging evidence regarding how the global coronavirus 19 pandemic may impact cannabis use patterns. We summarize recent findings and conclude with suggestions to address unanticipated effects of rapidly changing cannabis laws and policies.
Cannabis is one of the most commonly used psychoactive substances in the United States, with over 48 million people age 12 or older reporting past-year cannabis use in [ 1 ]. The legal status of cannabis in the United States has changed substantially over the last 25 years. Up to , no state had legalized use of cannabis for any purpose.
However, in , California became the first US state to legalize cannabis use for medical purposes, and a total of 33 US states encompassing over two-thirds of the US population [ 2 ] have now legalized adult use of cannabis for medical purposes.
