Four years after Georgia legalized recreational cannabis, lifetime and annual prevalence among young adults remained essentially unchanged, though the drug became easier to obtain and average age of first use increased.
International drug policy researchers, policymakers considering legalization in non-Western contexts, epidemiologists studying cannabis use trends.
Cannabis use held steady at ~18% among Georgian young adults 4 years after legalization
What the researchers found
Lifetime cannabis use prevalence among Georgian young adults was similar before and after legalization (17.3% in 2015 vs 18.1% in 2022). Annual prevalence also held steady (7.0% vs 7.7%). However, cannabis became easier to obtain (OR 0.5 for difficulty), and the average age of first use increased from 18.1 to 19.1 years. Males and people who gambled were at higher risk of use.
Why it matters
Georgia (the country) provides a unique natural experiment in cannabis legalization outside of North America and Europe. The finding that use rates did not increase despite easier access challenges the assumption that legalization inevitably leads to more use.
The numbers in context
Lifetime use: 17.3% (2015) vs 18.1% (2022), OR 1.1, p=0.726; annual use: 7.0% vs 7.7%, OR 1.1, p=0.650; easier to obtain in 2022 (OR 0.5, p=0.021); age of first use increased 18.1 to 19.1 years (p=0.003); female annual prevalence 1.9% vs male 13.1%.
How the study worked
Comparison of two nationally representative cross-sectional surveys of Georgian adults aged 18-29, conducted in 2015 (n=1,308) and 2022 (n=758), using bivariate analyses and multivariable logistic and linear regressions.
What this study cannot tell us
Repeated cross-sectional design (not longitudinal) limits causal inference. Only four years post-legalization, which may not capture longer-term trends. Georgia's cannabis market may be less commercialized than North American markets, limiting comparability. Relatively small sample size for the 2022 survey.
How to read the evidence
Moderate: Nationally representative surveys from a natural policy experiment, though repeated cross-sectional design and relatively small 2022 sample limit conclusions.
When this study was published
Published in 2025 comparing 2015 and 2022 surveys.
The bigger picture
This adds to a mixed international picture on legalization outcomes. Some jurisdictions have seen use increases post-legalization while others, like Georgia, show minimal change. Cultural context, enforcement, and market development likely play significant roles.
Questions still open
- Why did cannabis use not increase despite easier access? Would trends differ with a more commercialized cannabis market? Is the increase in age of first use a lasting trend or an artifact of the survey timing?
Common questions
Which Georgia is this about?
Why is the age of first use increasing?
Read the original research
Post-legalization shifts in cannabis use among young adults in Georgia-A nationally representative study.
Addiction (Abingdon, England), 120(2), 335-346
Citation
Nadareishvili, Ilia; Rao, Sowmya R; Otiashvili, David; Gnatienko, Natalia; Samet, Jeffrey H; Lunze, Karsten; Kirtadze, Irma. (2025). Post-legalization shifts in cannabis use among young adults in Georgia-A nationally representative study.. Addiction (Abingdon, England), 120(2), 335-346. https://doi.org/10.1111/add.16688