Teens more likely than young adults to develop SUD after first cannabis use

A study from the National Institutes of Health measuring the prevalence of nine substance use disorders (SUDs) after the first substance use in younger people has found a clear association between younger age of first cannabis use and development of other SUDs later. The findings, published at the end of March in JAMA Pediatrics , emphasize what is already well‐known: the vulnerability of young people to SUDs. After first trying cannabis, the percentage of young people aged 12–17 who develop a cannabis‐specific SUD is almost 11%; the percentage of young adults who develop a cannabis‐specific SUD after first use of cannabis at the ages of 18–25 is under 7%. For all SUDs looked at, the prevalence of developing one within a year after first use was about double — or more — for adolescents than for young adults.