CDC Data Shows High School Cannabis Use At Record Low

New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that cannabis use among U.S. high schoolers is at the lowest level recorded since the agency started tracking the data in 1991.

The data is from the 2025 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), which anonymously monitors high school health-risk behaviors, including drug use. According to the results, 12.9% of high schoolers said they currently use cannabis, while 25.5% said they have used cannabis at least once.

Notably, the current consumption rate among American high schoolers fell by approximately 60% over the last decade. That same period also covers the launch of most of the adult-use cannabis markets in the U.S.

“Sensational claims that adult-use legalization laws are linked with greater marijuana use by teens are simply not backed by reliable data. These government findings ought to reassure lawmakers that cannabis access can be legally regulated in a manner that is safe, effective, and that does not inadvertently impact young people’s habits.” — NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano, in a statement

The survey also found only 4.4% of high schoolers said they tried cannabis for the first time before they were 13 years old, another record low in the 35 years of data.

Meanwhile, over half of the American population currently lives with state-legal access to adult-use cannabis.