Cannabis Use Disorder Is the Second Most Common Substance Use Disorder Among Young People Worldwide
Among adolescents and young adults globally, alcohol use disorder had the highest prevalence (13.3 million), followed by cannabis use disorder (10.7 million), with Europe and the Americas bearing the greatest burden.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Cannabis use disorder affected 10.69 million young people aged 10-24 globally in 2019, second only to alcohol use disorder (13.31 million). Opioid use disorder saw increasing prevalence and incidence from 2010-2019, while most other SUDs declined. Higher sociodemographic development correlated with higher SUD burden.
Key Numbers
Alcohol use disorder: 13.31 million. Cannabis use disorder: 10.69 million. Opioid use disorder: 4.27 million. Females had lower burden than males across all SUDs. Highest burden in Europe and the Americas.
How They Did This
Analysis of Global Burden of Disease 2019 data examining prevalence, incidence, years of life lost, disability-adjusted life years, and mortality for substance use disorders among those aged 10-24.
Why This Research Matters
With 10.7 million young people affected, cannabis use disorder represents a massive global health burden that is often overshadowed by attention to opioids and alcohol.
The Bigger Picture
While opioid use disorder gets the most policy attention, cannabis use disorder affects more than twice as many young people globally. The correlation between higher national development and higher SUD burden suggests that wealth and access drive substance use.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Global Burden of Disease estimates rely on modeled data that may be imprecise for some regions. Definition and diagnosis of cannabis use disorder varies across countries. Data through 2019 only.
Questions This Raises
- ?Has cannabis use disorder prevalence changed since 2019 with expanding legalization?
- ?Why do higher-income countries have higher SUD burden?
- ?Are current treatment resources proportional to disease burden?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 10.69 million young people worldwide affected by cannabis use disorder
- Evidence Grade:
- Global Burden of Disease analysis provides the most comprehensive global estimates; strong because of scope despite modeling limitations.
- Study Age:
- 2025 publication using Global Burden of Disease 2019 data
- Original Title:
- The burden of alcohol and substance use disorders in adolescents and young adults.
- Published In:
- Drug and alcohol dependence, 266, 112495 (2025)
- Authors:
- Danpanichkul, Pojsakorn, Duangsonk, Kwanjit, Díaz, Luis Antonio(2), Chen, Vincent L, Rangan, Pooja, Sukphutanan, Banthoon, Dutta, Priyata, Wanichthanaolan, Ornpailin, Ramadoss, Vijay, Sim, Benedix, Tung, Daniel, Siranart, Noppachai, Noritake, Hidenao, Takahashi, Hirokazu, Noureddin, Mazen, Leggio, Lorenzo, Yang, Ju Dong, Fallon, Michael B, Arab, Juan Pablo, Winder, Gerald Scott, Liangpunsakul, Suthat, Mellinger, Jessica Leigh, Wijarnpreecha, Karn
- Database ID:
- RTHC-06295
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Is cannabis use disorder really that common among young people?
According to the Global Burden of Disease 2019 estimates, 10.69 million people aged 10-24 have cannabis use disorder, making it the second most common substance use disorder in this age group after alcohol.
What is cannabis use disorder?
A clinical condition where cannabis use causes significant impairment or distress, including difficulty controlling use, continued use despite problems, tolerance, and withdrawal. Not everyone who uses cannabis develops this disorder.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-06295APA
Danpanichkul, Pojsakorn; Duangsonk, Kwanjit; Díaz, Luis Antonio; Chen, Vincent L; Rangan, Pooja; Sukphutanan, Banthoon; Dutta, Priyata; Wanichthanaolan, Ornpailin; Ramadoss, Vijay; Sim, Benedix; Tung, Daniel; Siranart, Noppachai; Noritake, Hidenao; Takahashi, Hirokazu; Noureddin, Mazen; Leggio, Lorenzo; Yang, Ju Dong; Fallon, Michael B; Arab, Juan Pablo; Winder, Gerald Scott; Liangpunsakul, Suthat; Mellinger, Jessica Leigh; Wijarnpreecha, Karn. (2025). The burden of alcohol and substance use disorders in adolescents and young adults.. Drug and alcohol dependence, 266, 112495. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2024.112495
MLA
Danpanichkul, Pojsakorn, et al. "The burden of alcohol and substance use disorders in adolescents and young adults.." Drug and alcohol dependence, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2024.112495
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "The burden of alcohol and substance use disorders in adolesc..." RTHC-06295. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/danpanichkul-2025-the-burden-of-alcohol
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.