New Study Finds Marijuana Use Rising Sharply Among U.S. Parents

New Study Finds Marijuana Use Rising Sharply Among U.S. Parents

Parents' Cannabis Use Climbs Over a Decade

A new study reports that cannabis use among U.S. parents rose substantially between 2012 and 2024. Researchers from the University of California, San Diego, analyzed data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), covering nearly 482,000 U.S. individuals ages 12 and older. The findings were published in the journal Addictive Behaviors.

By 2024, One in Twelve Parents Used Most Days

By 2024, 8% of parents reported using cannabis on most days, 5.2% used it daily, and 6.7% met criteria for cannabis use disorder — a pattern of use that causes problems or interferes with daily life. Researchers estimated that at least 5.9 million U.S. children were living with a parent who used marijuana on most days that year.

Daily Use Four Times Alcohol

Daily cannabis use among parents was about four times as common as daily alcohol use. Increases occurred across nearly all demographic groups, with some of the largest jumps among younger and unmarried parents, those in lower-income households, and those without a four-year college degree.

Experts Warn Risks Are Being Overlooked

"Marijuana has become so socially acceptable that people are starting to overlook the risks," Dr. Jarid Pachter, who specializes in family medicine and addiction medicine at Stony Brook Medicine in New York, told Fox News Digital. THC, the primary psychoactive component in marijuana, can impair attention, memory, coordination, and reaction time. Pachter, who was not involved in the study, added that "just because it's legal doesn't mean it's harmless," and expressed concern about the example parents set for their children.

Concerns About Children's Exposure

While it is not definitive that parental use directly causes children to use, there appears to be a significant connection. The rise in parental use, combined with THC's cognitive effects, raises concerns about what happens when use becomes part of the home routine. Fox News noted the study prompts questions about potential child exposure and safety.

Screening families as legalization spreads

The study highlights the need for screening and intervention to minimize cannabis-related harms among families. As more U.S. states relax cannabis restrictions, balancing legalization with family health will remain a key public health challenge. The researchers did not determine why use rose, but noted changing social acceptance as context, and called for stepped-up screening and intervention as legalization spreads.