Youth Cannabis Use Declines in Colorado Post-Legalization

Youth Cannabis Use in Colorado Continues to Decline Since Legalization

Rates of youth marijuana use in Colorado declined slightly in 2023, remaining significantly lower than before the state became one of the first in the U.S. to legalize cannabis for adults. This contradicts prohibitionist arguments that the reform would lead to increased underage consumption.

The latest biannual Healthy Kids Colorado Survey found that past-30-day use of cannabis among high schoolers was at 12.8 percent in 2023, a dip from 13.3 percent in 2021. Since retail cannabis shops opened in Colorado in 2014, youth marijuana use has gradually declined, falling nearly 7 percentage points from 19.7 percent in 2013.

Expert Opinions

Eric Escudero, communications director for Denver’s Department of Excise & Licenses and the Office of Marijuana Policy, told Marijuana Moment, “We were bracing for a massive surge today in youth who said they used marijuana in Denver. And it did not happen.” Escudero highlighted the government’s cannabis tax-funded investment in youth prevention.

Impact of Regulatory Safeguards

In addition to regulatory safeguards under legalization, Denver has invested marijuana tax dollars in youth prevention. “We have kept that promise with one of the most highly successful youth marijuana usage prevention campaigns in U.S. history,” Escudero said.

Advocates’ Perspective

Advocates argue that regulated sales with mandated ID checks mitigate youth access and lead to decreased underage use. The Colorado survey also shows that perceived ease of access to cannabis is down among youth, with 40.4 percent of respondents saying it would be “sort of easy” or “very easy” to obtain cannabis in 2023, compared to 54.9 percent in 2013.

Compliance and Studies

Colorado marijuana regulators reported a compliance rate of about 99 percent in underage sales checks. Multiple studies have debunked the idea that marijuana legalization increases youth use. For instance, a research letter in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found no evidence that state legalization increases youth cannabis use.

Broader Trends

Other studies, including those from Washington State and Canada, support these findings, showing declines in youth marijuana use and perceived ease of access post-legalization. These trends reinforce the argument that legalization can coexist with effective youth prevention strategies.