Is "Cannabis is Less Addictive" True?—The New Reality Highlighted by the Rise of "Cannabis Use Disorder" in the U.S.

The landscape surrounding cannabis in the United States is changing dramatically.

Once considered a flagship illegal drug, cannabis is now legally accessible for medical or adult recreational use in many states. Stores line the streets, offering not only the traditional dried plant for smoking but also a variety of products such as vape-style devices, concentrates, edibles, and beverages.

However, a rapidly emerging issue is coming to light.

"I want to quit cannabis but can't."

"I try to cut back but fail."

"I continue to use despite negative impacts on work, family, and relationships."

Medically, this condition is referred to as "Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD)."

A large-scale study published in JAMA Psychiatry on August 19, 2026, revealed that as cannabis use expands, cannabis use disorder is also on the rise in the U.S.

These findings pose a significant question to the long-standing societal perception that "cannabis is less addictive" and "not as problematic as alcohol."

9.3% of Men, 5.6% of Women

The study analyzed national surveys on drug use and health in the U.S. from 2021 to 2024.

The subjects included 186,823 adults, representing a large-scale dataset adjusted to reflect the U.S. adult population.

The results showed that the percentage of men meeting the criteria for cannabis use disorder in the past year rose from 7.3% in 2021 to 9.3% in 2024.

In simple terms, this is nearly 1 in 10 adult men.

For women, the rate increased from 4.5% to 5.6%.

Moreover, it's not just the increase in cannabis users that's concerning, but also the rise in more severe cases of "moderate to severe" cannabis use disorder.

For men, this rose from 3.1% to 4.1%, and for women, from 1.7% to 2.5%.

Researchers suggest that these changes indicate a need to reassess the perception that "cannabis is less addictive."

The Number of Cannabis Users is Also Increasing

Alongside the rise in cannabis use disorder, the number of adults using cannabis is also increasing.

For men, the percentage who used cannabis in the past year increased from 22.2% in 2021 to 25.7% in 2024.

For women, it rose from 17.7% to 21.2%.

This means that currently in the U.S., approximately 1 in 4 men and 1 in 5 women have used cannabis within the past year.

Of course, not everyone who uses cannabis becomes dependent.

This should not be confused.

However, the study highlights a public health issue: "As the number of users increases, so does the number of people who fall into problematic use."

Particularly for men, the percentage of cannabis users who met the criteria for cannabis use disorder rose from 32.9% in 2021 to 36.2% in 2024.

Having experience with cannabis does not equate to addiction, but for those who use frequently, the risk of dependency cannot be ignored.

What Does "Cannabis Dependence" Look Like?

The word "dependence" might conjure images of severe withdrawal symptoms or physical tremors for some.

However, cannabis use disorder is not judged solely on these criteria.

Typical signs include:

"Using more than planned."

"Failing to cut back or quit despite wanting to."

"Spending a lot of time obtaining or using cannabis."

"Experiencing strong cravings."

"Continuing use despite problems at home, school, or work."

"Continuing use despite negative impacts on relationships."

"Giving up important activities for cannabis."

These are some of the indicators.

The key is not just "whether you use it daily."

The major points are whether the individual can control their use and whether it leads to life losses.

This is a common concept with other substance use disorders, such as alcohol dependence.

Why is Cannabis Use Disorder Increasing Now?

One factor considered is the changing social environment surrounding cannabis.

In the U.S., although regulations vary by state, the areas where cannabis can be legally purchased have expanded significantly.

Compared to the era when it was traded on the illegal market, cannabis has become more accessible to consumers.

Additionally, its use for medical purposes has become widely known.

These changes cannot be outright labeled as "bad."

Cannabis policy has various aspects, such as reducing the illegal market, minimizing social losses from criminal penalties, and providing medical options.

On the other hand, as accessibility increases and fewer people consider cannabis dangerous, the potential for an increase in users exists.

Researchers are wary of the "risk of some people losing control" that lies ahead.

Another Change—THC Concentration

When considering modern cannabis, the issue of THC cannot be overlooked.

THC is the primary psychoactive component of cannabis.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the THC concentration in cannabis products has increased over the past few decades.

Research samples show that the average THC concentration rose from about 9% in 2008 to about 17% in 2017.

Moreover, some retail stores offer products that far exceed this concentration.

In the case of concentrates, it is possible to consume very high concentrations of THC at once.

However, it is not possible to simply conclude that "the increase in THC caused the rise in cannabis use disorder."

This study is a cross-sectional study analyzing observational data and does not prove that the increase in product concentration itself is the cause of increased dependency.

Nevertheless, public health authorities are calling attention to the fact that high-concentration THC products can produce stronger effects and increase the potential for overuse.

Discussing modern cannabis as exactly the same as cannabis from decades ago has its limitations.

Interestingly, Moving in the Opposite Direction of "Alcohol"

What is particularly interesting in this study is the comparison with alcohol.

While cannabis use disorder is increasing, alcohol use disorder has remained stable or shown a decreasing trend among many adult groups.

For example, alcohol use disorder in men decreased from 13.3% in 2021 to 12.6% in 2024, and in women from 9.7% to 8.2%.

The decline is more pronounced among those aged 21 to 34.

This does not prove that "Americans are quitting alcohol and switching to cannabis."

However, it is interesting to consider the potential change in the social positioning of recreational substances.

While there is a trend among younger generations to avoid drinking, cannabis has become more accessible due to legalization and product diversification.

Decades from now, society may have the same level of caution towards "overuse of cannabis" as we currently do towards "excessive drinking."

The Debate on "Cannabis is Safer than Alcohol" Divides on Social Media

The article is newly published, and it is not yet possible to comprehensively confirm large-scale social media reactions to the article itself.

 

Meanwhile, debates over cannabis dependence, high-concentration THC, and comparisons with alcohol are already active on social media platforms like Reddit.

A prominent opinion is:

"Isn't cannabis still safer than alcohol?"

Indeed, since the health impacts and nature of dependency differ between alcohol and cannabis, caution is needed in simple rankings of "which is more dangerous."

On social media, some users argue that it's unreasonable to view cannabis as dangerous as alcohol, citing physical harm, accidents, violence, and fatal acute intoxication associated with alcohol.

However, other users counter with:

"The fact that cannabis is less dangerous than alcohol is a completely different matter from cannabis being harmless."

These two perspectives can coexist.

Even if one substance is overall less dangerous than another, it doesn't mean there are no people dependent on that substance.

Voices from Those Who Couldn't Quit

Equally striking are the personal stories shared in online communities of people who have quit cannabis.

In Reddit communities dedicated to quitting cannabis,

many share experiences of using daily for years,

attempting to quit multiple times but resuming within weeks,

and needing a long time to adjust to life without cannabis.

One post describes starting a cannabis-free journey after 25 years of use and achieving 1,000 days of sobriety in 2026.

While these personal stories are not scientific studies and cannot be directly applied to the general population,

they serve as a reminder of the risks of declaring "cannabis has no addictive potential."

While some people use cannabis occasionally without issues, others find it difficult to quit once a habit is formed, even with personal willpower.

Both realities exist.

The Debate Over "California Sober"

In recent years, the concept known as "California sober" has gained recognition in the U.S.

While it lacks a strict definition, it often refers to a lifestyle where alcohol and some drugs are avoided, but cannabis is used.

For some recovering from alcohol dependence, replacing it with cannabis has been perceived as reducing harm.

However, within addiction support communities and among experts,

there is debate over "what to consider when substance replacement merely continues the behavior of dependency."

On Reddit, both positive experiences of "avoiding alcohol thanks to cannabis" and negative experiences of "losing control over cannabis" are observed.

This is precisely why the debate over cannabis is challenging.

What serves as a harm-reducing option for one person could become a new dependency for another.

The Study Does Not Deny Medical Use

Concluding from this study that "cannabis is dangerous, so medical use should be banned" is also an overreach.

It is necessary to consider medical and recreational purposes separately when discussing cannabis and cannabinoids.

Moreover, even under the same name "cannabis," components, THC concentration, the ratio with CBD, dosage, frequency, and method of use vary significantly.

It is unreasonable to discuss adults who use a few times a year and those who use high-concentration THC products daily in the same category.

What will be needed in the future is not a binary choice of "is cannabis safe or dangerous,"

but a detailed risk assessment of

who is using,

from what age,

at what frequency,

at what THC concentration,

and for what reasons.

Legality Does Not Equate to Safety

Alcohol is legal.

Tobacco is legal in many countries.

However, few people believe that legality means the absence of dependency or health risks.

Society may be gradually entering the same phase with cannabis.

Supporting cannabis legalization and acknowledging the existence of cannabis use disorder are not contradictory.

Conversely, pointing out the health risks of cannabis does not immediately mean supporting prohibition policies.

As legalization progresses, what is needed is not an extreme debate of "dangerous or safe," but information that allows consumers to assess risks.

Labeling THC concentrations, warnings for young people, awareness of dependency symptoms, screening in medical settings, and access to treatment will become important.

A Simple Question: "Can You Quit?"

The term cannabis use disorder might seem like a distant technical term from everyday life.

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