Nearly 12% of US veterans reported cannabis use, with much higher rates among those with psychiatric conditions
In a nationally representative survey of 4,069 veterans, 11.9% reported cannabis use, 2.7% screened positive for cannabis use disorder, and prevalence was 2-3 times higher among veterans with psychiatric conditions.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Cannabis use prevalence among veterans was estimated at 11.9%, up from 9% in 2014. Among younger veterans, 20.2% reported use and 5.6% screened positive for CUD. Veterans with psychiatric conditions had use rates of 24-30% and CUD rates of 8.9-13%. Depression was independently associated with CUD (OR=2.76). Physical disability (OR=3.59) and combat veteran status (OR=2.84) most strongly predicted medical card possession.
Key Numbers
4,069 veterans. Overall use: 11.9%. CUD: 2.7%. Medical card: 1.5%. Younger veterans: 20.2% use, 5.6% CUD. Psychiatric conditions: 24-30% use, 8.9-13% CUD. Depression OR for CUD: 2.76. Physical disability OR for medical card: 3.59.
How They Did This
Cross-sectional analysis of the 2019-2020 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study (NHRVS), a nationally representative survey of 4,069 veterans ages 22-99. Assessed past-6-month cannabis use, CUD symptoms, and medical cannabis card possession.
Why This Research Matters
Veteran cannabis use appears to be increasing at a time when more states are legalizing. The concentration of use among veterans with psychiatric conditions raises questions about whether cannabis is being used as self-medication and whether it helps or complicates their mental health care.
The Bigger Picture
The jump from 9% (2014) to nearly 12% (2019-2020) in veteran cannabis use mirrors broader population trends but is notable given the high prevalence of PTSD, chronic pain, and depression in this population. Whether increasing use represents effective self-care or concerning self-medication remains an open question.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Cross-sectional design. Self-reported cannabis use and CUD screening (not clinical diagnosis). Cannot determine whether cannabis use preceded or followed psychiatric conditions. Past-6-month use window may miss some users.
Questions This Raises
- ?Is cannabis use among veterans with psychiatric conditions helping or worsening their mental health?
- ?How do veteran cannabis use rates compare to the general population with similar psychiatric burden?
- ?What role does VA policy play in shaping veteran cannabis use?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Veteran cannabis use rose from 9% (2014) to 11.9% (2019-2020)
- Evidence Grade:
- Large nationally representative veteran sample with validated screening tools. Strong for prevalence estimates, limited by cross-sectional design for causal inference.
- Study Age:
- 2021 study with data from 2019-2020.
- Original Title:
- Prevalence of cannabis use, disorder, and medical card possession in U.S. military veterans: Results from the 2019-2020 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study.
- Published In:
- Addictive behaviors, 120, 106963 (2021)
- Authors:
- Hill, Melanie L(7), Loflin, Mallory(6), Nichter, Brandon(3), Norman, Sonya B, Pietrzak, Robert H
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03199
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
How common is cannabis use among veterans?
About 11.9% of veterans reported use, but rates were much higher among younger veterans (20.2%) and those with psychiatric conditions (24-30%).
Which veterans were most likely to have a medical cannabis card?
Physical disability (OR=3.59) and combat veteran status (OR=2.84) were the strongest predictors of medical card possession, suggesting pain and trauma-related conditions drive medical use.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03199APA
Hill, Melanie L; Loflin, Mallory; Nichter, Brandon; Norman, Sonya B; Pietrzak, Robert H. (2021). Prevalence of cannabis use, disorder, and medical card possession in U.S. military veterans: Results from the 2019-2020 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study.. Addictive behaviors, 120, 106963. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2021.106963
MLA
Hill, Melanie L, et al. "Prevalence of cannabis use, disorder, and medical card possession in U.S. military veterans: Results from the 2019-2020 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study.." Addictive behaviors, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2021.106963
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Prevalence of cannabis use, disorder, and medical card posse..." RTHC-03199. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/hill-2021-prevalence-of-cannabis-use
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.