Cannabis use frequency did not increase among 18-20 year olds in LA after recreational legalization, except for edibles
Comparing young cannabis users before and after California's legalization, overall frequency did not increase, but edible consumption rose significantly.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Frequency of cannabis use (days or hits per day) did not significantly differ between cohorts. Edible use increased post-legalization. Medical patients reported more medical use, more concentrate use, and perceived cannabis as more addictive.
Key Numbers
Pre-AUL: n=172. Post-AUL: n=139. Use frequency unchanged. Edible use increased. Medical patients had more concentrate use and perceived addiction risk.
How They Did This
Two cohorts of 18-20 year old cannabis users in LA: pre-legalization (2014-15, n=172) and post-legalization (2019-20, n=139), assessed for 90-day use.
Why This Research Matters
For 18-20 year olds who cannot legally purchase recreational cannabis, legalization did not drive increased consumption, challenging assumptions about normalization effects.
The Bigger Picture
The shift toward edibles reflects changing product availability rather than increased overall consumption.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Different cohorts, not longitudinal. Small samples. LA-specific. Only existing cannabis users studied.
Questions This Raises
- ?Has edible use continued rising?
- ?Do these patterns hold for cannabis-naive young adults?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Cannabis use frequency unchanged post-legalization; only edible use increased
- Evidence Grade:
- Repeat cross-sectional with similar methods, but different cohorts and small samples limit conclusions.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2025, data 2014-15 and 2019-20.
- Original Title:
- Pre-Post Cannabis Legalization for Adult Use: A Trend Study of Two Cohorts of Young Adult Cannabis Users in Los Angeles.
- Published In:
- Journal of psychoactive drugs, 57(1), 99-109 (2025)
- Authors:
- Fedorova, Ekaterina V(12), Mitchel, Allison, Finkelstein, Maddy(3), Ataiants, Janna, Wong, Carolyn F, Conn, Bridgid M, Lankenau, Stephen E
- Database ID:
- RTHC-06441
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Did legalization increase cannabis use among young adults?
Not in this LA study. Overall frequency stayed stable; the main change was more edible use.
Were medical patients different?
Yes. They reported more medical use, higher concentrate use, and viewed cannabis as more addictive.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-06441APA
Fedorova, Ekaterina V; Mitchel, Allison; Finkelstein, Maddy; Ataiants, Janna; Wong, Carolyn F; Conn, Bridgid M; Lankenau, Stephen E. (2025). Pre-Post Cannabis Legalization for Adult Use: A Trend Study of Two Cohorts of Young Adult Cannabis Users in Los Angeles.. Journal of psychoactive drugs, 57(1), 99-109. https://doi.org/10.1080/02791072.2023.2282515
MLA
Fedorova, Ekaterina V, et al. "Pre-Post Cannabis Legalization for Adult Use: A Trend Study of Two Cohorts of Young Adult Cannabis Users in Los Angeles.." Journal of psychoactive drugs, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1080/02791072.2023.2282515
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Pre-Post Cannabis Legalization for Adult Use: A Trend Study ..." RTHC-06441. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/fedorova-2025-prepost-cannabis-legalization-for
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.