Survey Reveals Data on Past-Year Cannabinoid Use by US Adults

A study published December 13, 2023, in the Journal of the American Medical Association examined past-year use of several cannabinoids by adults in the US (1). As the motivation for the study, the researchers cited the lack of knowledge the prevalence of certain cannabinoid use—cannabidiol (CBD), delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ8-THC), cannabigerol (CBG), and cannabinol (CBN)—since the passing of the 2018 Farm Bill (1).

Researchers studied data from a survey conducted in late June 2023 from 1169 participants over 18 years of age on past-year use of the cannabinoids (1). “Overall, 71.7% participants heard of CBD compared with 41.2%, 18.4%, and 16.8% for Δ8-THC, CBG, and CBN, respectively,” stated the results section (1). “Similarly, 21.1% reported past-year CBD use compared with 11.9%, 5.2%, and 4.4% for Δ8-THC, CBG, and CBN, respectively; 25.2% of participants reported past-year use of any emerging cannabinoid.” Referring to a Gallup poll that indicated that 14% of adults used CBD in 2019, researchers stated that CBD use has increased 50% since then (1).

One result also noted in the study was the negative association between residing in a state with legal medical or recreational cannabis use and the use of Δ8-THC (1)."This suggests that cannabis prohibition may be unintentionally promoting use of delta-8-THC products, which is problematic given that these products tend to be less regulated than those available in legal medical or recreational cannabis dispensaries," explained Kevin Boehnke, PhD, one of the authors of the study (2).

In the conclusion section, the researchers stated their support for continued monitoring of the use of these cannabinoids, particularly in younger adults (1). “Our results highlight the importance of future research to better understand perceptions of safety, motivations for use, and outcomes of use of these products,” concluded the study (1).

References

1. Wilson-Poe, A. R.; Smith, T.; Elliott, M. R.; Kruger, D. J.; Boehnke, K. F. Past-year use prevalence of cannabidiol, cannabigerol, cannabinol, and Δ8-tetrahydrocannabinol among us adults. JAMA Network Open 2023, 6 (12) DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.47373.
2. DePeau-Wilson, M. How are Americans using emerging cannabinoids? https://www.medpagetoday.com/special-reports/features/107847 (accessed Dec 13, 2023).