Few high school cannabis users quit on their own, but those who did showed improved attendance and homework completion
Only 14.8% of high school cannabis users reduced their use between grade levels, but students who quit showed significantly better class attendance and homework completion than those who continued using.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Only 14.8% decreased use between grades, with two-thirds making only incremental changes. Cessation rates from daily and weekly use decreased each year. Students who quit had better odds of class attendance (OR=2.48) and homework completion (OR=2.32) compared to continuing users, but still had worse math performance than never-users (OR=0.55).
Key Numbers
91,774 observations. 14.8% reduced use between grades. Quitters vs. continuing users: attendance OR=2.48, homework OR=2.32. Quitters vs. never-users: math OR=0.55 for some subcategories. Cessation rates from daily/weekly use declined each year.
How They Did This
Longitudinal analysis of 91,774 linked observations from the COMPASS prospective cohort study of Canadian high school students (Grades 9-12, 2013-2017). Cannabis use change patterns tracked across grade transitions. Academic outcomes (math, English marks, homework, truancy) compared between quitters, continuing users, and never-users.
Why This Research Matters
This large longitudinal study shows that spontaneous cannabis cessation is uncommon among high school students, suggesting most teen users need external support. The academic improvements seen after quitting provide concrete motivation for cessation.
The Bigger Picture
The finding that cessation rates decrease each year suggests a narrowing window for intervention. School-based programs that support cannabis reduction early in high school may have the best chance of success.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Observational data cannot prove that quitting caused academic improvements. Self-reported cannabis use and academic outcomes. Students who quit may differ systematically from those who continue. Canadian sample may not generalize to other countries.
Questions This Raises
- ?Would targeted school-based cessation support increase quit rates?
- ?Do academic improvements from quitting persist long-term?
- ?What distinguishes the minority who spontaneously quit from those who continue?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Only 14.8% of teen cannabis users reduced use between grades
- Evidence Grade:
- Large prospective cohort with longitudinal tracking, but observational design and self-reported data.
- Study Age:
- 2020 study using pre-legalization Canadian data (2013-2017). Provides baseline for evaluating post-legalization cessation patterns.
- Original Title:
- Cannabis cessation among youth: rates, patterns and academic outcomes in a large prospective cohort of Canadian high school students.
- Published In:
- Health promotion and chronic disease prevention in Canada : research, policy and practice, 40(4), 95-103 (2020)
- Authors:
- Zuckermann, Alexandra M, Gohari, Mahmood R(2), de Groh, Margaret, Jiang, Ying, Leatherdale, Scott T
- Database ID:
- RTHC-02938
Evidence Hierarchy
Follows a group of people over time to track how outcomes develop.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Did quitting cannabis improve grades?
Quitters showed significantly better attendance and homework completion than continuing users. Some math performance improved, but quitters still scored below never-users, suggesting academic recovery may be partial.
Why did so few teens quit on their own?
Only 14.8% reduced use, and cessation rates from daily/weekly use dropped each year, suggesting cannabis use becomes harder to stop without external support as it continues through high school.
Read More on RethinkTHC
- 30-days-without-weed
- 420-sober-survival-guide
- 6-months-sober-weed-what-to-expect
- 90-days-no-weed
- CBT-cannabis-recovery
- benefits-of-quitting-weed
- boredom-after-quitting-weed
- boredom-after-quitting-weed-nothing-fun
- cannabis-relapse-cycle-pattern
- cold-turkey-vs-taper-quit-weed
- creativity-without-weed-quitting-artist-musician
- dating-sober-after-quitting-weed
- exercise-quitting-weed-anxiety-brain
- grieving-quitting-weed-loss
- help-someone-quit-weed
- hobbies-after-quitting-weed
- how-to-quit-weed
- how-to-talk-to-teenager-about-weed
- identity-after-quitting-weed
- journaling-weed-withdrawal
- kids-friends-smoke-weed-parent-guide
- leaving-stoner-culture-identity
- marijuana-anonymous-SMART-recovery-compare
- meditation-mindfulness-weed-withdrawal
- money-saved-quitting-weed-calculator
- one-year-sober-weed
- parent-smokes-weed-kids-hypocrite
- partner-still-smokes-weed
- partner-still-smokes-weed-quitting
- pink-cloud-sobriety-cannabis
- quit-weed-cold-turkey
- quit-weed-or-cut-back-which-is-better
- quit-weed-regret-went-back
- quitting-weed-20s
- quitting-weed-30s
- quitting-weed-after-years
- quitting-weed-creativity
- quitting-weed-during-crisis-divorce-job-loss
- quitting-weed-exercise
- quitting-weed-face-changes-skin
- quitting-weed-grief-loss-coping
- quitting-weed-legal-state
- quitting-weed-parent
- quitting-weed-success-stories
- quitting-weed-teenager-young-adult
- quitting-weed-triggers-environment
- quitting-weed-weight-loss-gain
- relapsed-smoking-weed-what-to-do
- relapsed-weed
- should-i-quit-weed
- sober-music-festival-concert-without-weed
- supplements-weed-withdrawal
- teenager-smoking-weed-parent-guide
- telling-friends-quitting-weed
- weed-relapse-prevention-plan
- weed-relapse-why-it-happens
- weed-ritual-replacement
- weed-ruined-relationships
- weed-social-media-triggers-quit
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-02938APA
Zuckermann, Alexandra M; Gohari, Mahmood R; de Groh, Margaret; Jiang, Ying; Leatherdale, Scott T. (2020). Cannabis cessation among youth: rates, patterns and academic outcomes in a large prospective cohort of Canadian high school students.. Health promotion and chronic disease prevention in Canada : research, policy and practice, 40(4), 95-103. https://doi.org/10.24095/hpcdp.40.4.01
MLA
Zuckermann, Alexandra M, et al. "Cannabis cessation among youth: rates, patterns and academic outcomes in a large prospective cohort of Canadian high school students.." Health promotion and chronic disease prevention in Canada : research, 2020. https://doi.org/10.24095/hpcdp.40.4.01
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Cannabis cessation among youth: rates, patterns and academic..." RTHC-02938. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/zuckermann-2020-cannabis-cessation-among-youth
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.