Trends in Cannabis Treatment Admissions in Adolescents/Young Adults: Analysis of TEDS-A 1992 to 2016

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate changes in cannabis use patterns, referral sources, and admissions in adolescents and young adults (YAs). As the United States increasingly moves toward liberalization of cannabis laws, it is critical to have baseline information of use patterns in this population. Methods: Data were drawn from Treatment Episode Data Set-Admissions (TEDS-A) for adolescents (12–17 years) and young adults (18–24 years) entering treatment from 1992 to 2016 for primary cannabis use (N = 3,794,213). Rao-Scott chi-square tests were used to test for significant changes in proportions of individuals admitted to treatment for primary cannabis use and between 4-year increments from 1992 to 2016 (N = 1,052,724). Logistic regression assessed odds of admissions for primary cannabis use versus other substances. Results: Treatment admissions for cannabis among adolescents/YAs rose 3-fold from 1992 (49,996) to 1996 (125,858). The majority of referrals came from the criminal justice system (56%). Cannabis is increasingly the sole substance of use, with polysubstance use decreasing from 89% in 1992 to 59% in 2016. While alcohol-related treatment admissions were most common in 1992, admissions for treatment of cannabis use (followed by heroin and alcohol) were highest (38%) by 2016. Being an adolescent (odds ratio [OR] 3.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.1–3.2), non-Hispanic black (OR 6.2, 95% CI 6.2–6.3), male (female OR 0.6, 95% CI 0.6–0.6) with co-occurring alcohol use (OR 25.9, 95% CI 25.7–26.1) was associated with admission for treatment of primary cannabis use as compared with other substances. Conclusions: Public health efforts will be needed to ensure ongoing access and referral to treatment as the legal status of cannabis continues to change. Prevention and treatment efforts should target co-occurring alcohol and cannabis use.

The long-term effects of repeated heroin vapor inhalation during adolescence on measures of nociception and anxiety-like behavior in adult Wistar rats

“…The US opioid crisis, which is associated with high rates of non-medical use of both prescription and illicit opioids, has been marked by escalating rates of opioid-associated overdose and increasing prevalence of addictive use disorders (Han et al 2020; SAMHSA/CBHSQ 2018; TEDS/ SAMHSA 2018; Wilson et al 2020). Treatment admissions of adolescents and young adults for heroin use are second only to admissions for cannabis in the USA (Standeven et al 2020). At the same time, there has been an alarming rise in the use of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS; e-cigarettes), especially within adolescent populations.…”

Assessing the Impact of Recreational Cannabis Legalization on Cannabis Use Disorder and Admissions to Treatment in the United States

“…Cannabis is the most common substance reported by adolescents presenting for SUD treatment [ 27 ]. In 2020, the ratio for CUD treatment admissions was 51 per 100,000 population aged 12 and older, while the proportion of CUD admissions represented 9.8% (139,481) of all SUD treatment admissions, indicating a steady decline each year from 18.6% (358,034) in 2010 [ 28 ].…”

Impacto de la legalización del consumo recreativo del cannabis

“…Valorando las admisiones a tratamiento de adolescentes (12-17 años) hasta 2017, no hubo cambios en Colorado y Washington comparado con otros estados, explicando este acontecimiento probablemente por los cambios en las actitudes y la percepción de riesgo (Mennis y Stahler, 2020). Sin embargo, un análisis de este sistema de admisiones entre 1992 y 2016 señala el aumento en la demanda de tratamiento para el cannabis como droga principal o de forma concomitante con el alcohol, aumentando esa demanda sobre la de otras sustancias en adolescentes (Standeven, Scialli, Chisolm y Terplan, 2020). En una revisión sobre el tema se señala que la mayor aceptación social y menor percepción de riesgo puede influir en no solicitar tratamiento (Sahlem, Tomko, Sherman, Gray y McRae-Clark, 2018).…”