Only 37% of Teens Complete Cannabis Treatment, With Stark Racial Disparities
Among 40,054 adolescents treated for cannabis use disorder, only 36.8% completed treatment, with Black teens having significantly lower completion odds.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Of 40,054 adolescents with CUD, only 36.8% completed treatment. Black non-Hispanic adolescents had 21% lower odds of completion (OR=0.79), while Hispanic, Asian, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander teens had higher completion odds. Homelessness, recent arrest, and younger age were associated with lower completion.
Key Numbers
N=40,054 adolescents ages 12-17. Completion rate: 36.8%. Dropout: 28.4%. Transfer: 17.0%. Black non-Hispanic OR=0.79 (95% CI: 0.75-0.84). Hispanic OR=1.13, Asian OR=1.56, Native Hawaiian/PI OR=2.31.
How They Did This
Analysis of the 2018-2021 Treatment Episode Data Set-Discharges (TEDS-D), a national U.S. database of substance abuse treatment episodes, using multivariable logistic regression.
Why This Research Matters
When nearly two-thirds of teens drop out of cannabis treatment, the system is failing them. Racial disparities in completion rates point to systemic barriers that need targeted solutions.
The Bigger Picture
Treatment access is only the first step. If most teens who enter treatment fail to complete it, the system needs structural reform. The racial disparities mirror broader healthcare inequities that persist across medical specialties.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Administrative data lacks clinical detail about treatment quality or patient engagement. Cannot determine why specific groups have lower completion. Discharge coding may not capture full picture. Does not track post-discharge outcomes.
Questions This Raises
- ?What specific barriers drive dropout among Black adolescents?
- ?Would culturally tailored programs improve completion rates?
- ?Does treatment completion actually predict better long-term outcomes?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Only 36.8% of adolescents completed CUD treatment; Black teens had 21% lower odds
- Evidence Grade:
- Large national dataset provides robust population-level findings, though administrative data lacks clinical nuance.
- Study Age:
- 2025 study analyzing 2018-2021 U.S. treatment discharge data.
- Original Title:
- Disparities in Treatment Outcomes for Cannabis Use Disorder Among Adolescents.
- Published In:
- Pediatric reports, 17(4) (2025)
- Authors:
- Miranda, Helena, Ostanin, Jhon, Shugar, Simon, Mejia, Maria Carmenza, Sacca, Lea, Doucette, Mitchell L, Hennekens, Charles H, Kitsantas, Panagiota
- Database ID:
- RTHC-07148
Evidence Hierarchy
Looks back at existing records to find patterns.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
How successful is teen cannabis treatment?
Not very. Only 36.8% of over 40,000 adolescents completed treatment for cannabis use disorder. The most common reason for not completing was dropping out (28.4%), followed by transferring to another program (17%).
Are there racial disparities in teen cannabis treatment?
Yes. Black non-Hispanic adolescents had 21% lower odds of completing treatment compared to White teens, while Hispanic, Asian, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander teens had higher completion rates.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-07148APA
Miranda, Helena; Ostanin, Jhon; Shugar, Simon; Mejia, Maria Carmenza; Sacca, Lea; Doucette, Mitchell L; Hennekens, Charles H; Kitsantas, Panagiota. (2025). Disparities in Treatment Outcomes for Cannabis Use Disorder Among Adolescents.. Pediatric reports, 17(4). https://doi.org/10.3390/pediatric17040074
MLA
Miranda, Helena, et al. "Disparities in Treatment Outcomes for Cannabis Use Disorder Among Adolescents.." Pediatric reports, 2025. https://doi.org/10.3390/pediatric17040074
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Disparities in Treatment Outcomes for Cannabis Use Disorder ..." RTHC-07148. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/miranda-2025-disparities-in-treatment-outcomes
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.