Adolescents and young adults are experiencing cannabis-induced mental health crises, including serious disruptions in their ability to function at school or work—and, in some cases, psychotic breaks leading to hospitalizations, at alarming rates. One major reason for this rise is the markedly higher potency of today’s available cannabis compared to the strains in the 1960s and 70s. According to Dr. Deepak Cyril D’Souza, Professor of Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine and a leading expert in cannabis, “The marijuana and cannabis products that your grandparents may have used are very different from what’s out there now” (Backman, 2023).

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the psychoactive compound in cannabis that is responsible for the drug’s highly addictive potential. THC levels have skyrocketed from below 2 percent in the 1980s to between 17 percent and 28 percent in 2017, with some products containing up to 90 percent THC (Stuyt, 2018; Backman, 2023).

Scope of Use

Over the past decade, cannabis use in adolescents and young adults has surged. Globally, it is the most widely used illicit drug, with a staggering 183 million estimated users (Wilson et al., 2018). In the U.S., in 2022, about 30 percent of high school seniors reported using cannabis in the past year, and one-fifth of them reported daily cannabis use within the past 30 days (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2024). Cannabis vaping has also become more common, with an estimated 6 percent of 8th graders and 15 percent of 10th graders reporting use in the past year(CDC, 2024). Among adults aged 19 to 30, about 42 percent reported cannabis use in the past year, and 10 percent reported using it 20 or more times in the past 30 days (National Institute on Drug Abuse [NIDA], 2024).

These statistics are surprising, given the extensive evidence of cannabis’ harmful effects on the developing brain (Volkow et al., 2016). Young people are especially vulnerable since brain development continues into the mid to late 20s. Studies consistently demonstrate that cannabis increases the risks of neurocognitive dysfunction and mental health disorders, especially in adolescents (Wilson et al., 2018). These include a decline in IQ and memory, particularly for daily users, as well as decreased attention, higher anxiety, and lack of motivation (Volkow et al., 2016; Wilson et al., 2018). Moreover, exposure to high THC concentrations is linked to a heightened risk of psychotic disorders, which can become irreversible with continued drug use.

Perception of Safety

Why do so many young people casually use cannabis and view it as harmless? Cannabis is often perceived by youth as safer than other substances, such as cigarettes and alcohol (Harrison et al., 2024). Cannabis use is more likely when individuals are less informed about its health risks, have perceived positive effects of cannabis, or simply assume it is “natural” and, therefore, benign. This belief has become further entrenched as a result of cannabis’ widespread availability for recreational use, social acceptance, and legalization (Friese, 2017). However, those who recognize cannabis’ addictive potential tend to have lower rates of use (Harrison et al., 2024).

Myths and Marketing

Cannabis is widely touted not only as safe but also as a remedy for many medical ailments—a narrative promoted by the cannabis industry. In 2022, the global cannabis market was valued at over $43 billion, and by 2032, it is expected to exceed $438 billion in the U.S. alone (Fortune Business Insights, 2024). As of 2024, recreational cannabis is legal in 24 states.

A significant portion of online content praising marijuana’s benefits is proffered by subsidiaries of the cannabis industry, with many of these claims being misleading (Grundy et al., 2023). Meanwhile, cannabis dispensaries have proliferated across the country. Sales associates are trained to use medical language regarding the effects of different strains of cannabis, sending subliminal messages to customers that their products are trustworthy medical treatments. Products are commonly sold as gummy bears or vaping fluids—flavors like Maui Wowie Sativa, Pineapple Express Hybrid, and Purple Punch seem tailored to younger customers. Dr D’Souza notes, “The idea is that if you have a young customer, you have a lifelong customer” (Backman, 2023).

To obtain approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a drug must undergo rigorous testing to demonstrate safety and efficacy as a medical treatment. However, the FDA has not approved the use of cannabis as a treatment for any medical condition. The FDA has, however, approved similar compounds derived from cannabinoids for certain forms of epilepsy and chemotherapy-related nausea and vomiting.

JUUL and Cannabis

The rise of electronic cigarettes offers a cautionary tale. Introduced in the U.S. in 2006, e-cigarettes were initially advertised as a safer alternative to regular cigarettes and as an intermediary step toward smoking cessation. In reality, nicotine-containing e-cigarettes proved no less addictive than traditional cigarettes, and they lacked equivalent marketing restrictions. An expansion of youth-oriented advertising ensued.

In 2015, Juul, the leading e-cigarette brand, was launched and offered flavors like Cool Cucumber and Fruit Medley. It was not until 2018 that the FDA mandated that Juul add nicotine warning labels. A year later, New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit against Juul Labs for misleading consumers about nicotine content, downplaying its addictive nature, and marketing its products as safer alternatives to cigarettes (NY v. Juul Labs, 2019). In 2023, Juul settled, agreeing to pay over $400 million and to stop marketing to youth.

This debacle seems to foreshadow what lies ahead within the largely unregulated cannabis industry. Products vary widely, and insufficient attention is being given to cannabis’ addictive potential. Furthermore, in 2019, an e-cigarette or vaping-related lung injury (EVALI) outbreak caused symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, and coughing, with about 80 percent of cases linked to THC vaping. By February 2020, over 2,800 people had been hospitalized—with some requiring mechanical ventilation—and at least 68 deaths were reported (Yale Medicine, 2024).

Education About the Effects of Cannabis

The legalization of recreational cannabis has often been interpreted as a sign of its safety. However, cigarettes are also legal, and their well-documented risks include lung cancer, emphysema, and cardiovascular disease. Despite paying hundreds of billions of dollars to settle lawsuits, the tobacco industry continues to profit greatly, relying on the youth market to cultivate lifelong customers. A similar cycle of harm is unfolding in the cannabis industry, particularly in its focus on younger consumers. It is vital to combat this onslaught by disseminating accurate, evidence-based information and utilizing every available legal safeguard. Parents should educate themselves and their children about the risks of cannabis and avoid normalizing its use.

Dr. Kimber Richter, Professor of Population Health at the University of Kansas Medical Center, wrote presciently in 2014 that the burgeoning cannabis industry is replicating the Big Tobacco playbook—denying the addictive potential, downplaying adverse health effects, and rapidly expanding the market (Richter & Levy, 2014). She rightly emphasized that fully legalizing marijuana without stringent controls essentially hands over public health responsibilities to private industry—an entity neither designed nor incentivized to safeguard the well-being of consumers.