Only 37% of Teens Complete Cannabis Treatment, With Stark Racial Disparities | Research

The takeaway

Among 40,054 adolescents treated for cannabis use disorder, only 36.8% completed treatment, with Black teens having significantly lower completion odds.

Adolescent treatment providers, health equity researchers, youth policy advocates

Only 36.8% of adolescents completed CUD treatment; Black teens had 21% lower odds

What the researchers 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.

Why it 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 numbers in context

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 the study worked

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.

What this study cannot 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.

How to read the evidence

Large national dataset provides robust population-level findings, though administrative data lacks clinical nuance.

When this study was published

2025 study analyzing 2018-2021 U.S. treatment discharge data.

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.

Questions still open

What specific barriers drive dropout among Black adolescents? Would culturally tailored programs improve completion rates? Does treatment completion actually predict better long-term outcomes?

Common 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.

Read the original research

Disparities in Treatment Outcomes for Cannabis Use Disorder Among Adolescents.

Pediatric reports, 17(4)

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

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