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The researcher who led the effort points to a factor most consumers underestimate: Today’s products are far stronger than the ones that shaped public opinion about the drug. Understanding the link between cannabis addiction and THC potency is key to supporting recovery efforts.
Potency Is the Variable Most People Underestimate
Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse and senior author on the study, told the New York Times that the widespread belief that cannabis is not addictive may simply be incorrect, and tied the risk directly to concentration. The higher the content of the drug, she said, the higher the risk for addiction.
That is the gap this data exposes. Public attitudes toward cannabis were formed over decades when the product was considerably less potent. Legal markets now sell concentrates, vape formulations, and high-THC flower that bear little resemblance to what a casual user in an earlier era would have encountered.
What the JAMA Psychiatry Data Show
The study drew on responses from 186,823 adults surveyed through the National Survey on Drug Use and Health between 2021 and 2024. Researchers led by Beth Han tracked past-year prevalence and severity by sex and age group.
Among men, past-year cannabis use disorder rose from 7.3 percent in 2021 to 9.3 percent in 2024. Moderate-to-severe cases climbed from 3.1 percent to 4.1 percent. Among women, past-year prevalence moved from 4.5 percent to 5.6 percent, and moderate-to-severe cases rose from 1.7 percent to 2.5 percent.
Over the same period, alcohol use disorder fell or held steady. Prevalence among men moved from 13.3 percent to 12.4 percent and among women from 9.7 percent to 8.2 percent.
Cannabis Addiction Growing in Midlife and Later
The age breakdown is the part most likely to surprise families researching treatment. The steepest overall increases occurred among men and women aged 35 to 49 and among men aged 50 and older. For moderate-to-severe cases, the sharpest increases were among men and women aged 50 and older.
These findings challenge two conventional beliefs: Cannabis carries a low risk of addiction, and most people with the disorder are young adults with mild symptoms. The survey also didn’t include people who were incarcerated or unhoused, which may mean overall cannabis use is undercounted.
Why Cannabis Addiction Treatment Looks Different
FDA-approved medications are available for alcohol use and opioid use disorder treatment. Currently, there is not an FDA-approved medication to treat cannabis use disorder. Care generally centers on behavioral therapy such as cognitive behavioral therapy, peer support groups, and short-term medication to manage the sleep disruption and anxiety that can accompany cannabis withdrawal.
That matters when comparing rehab centers. A program with real depth in medication-assisted treatment for opioids may or may not have equivalent depth in cannabis-specific behavioral care, and the two are not interchangeable.
It is also worth being precise about what this study can and cannot say. It measured prevalence across repeated cross-sections of the population. It did not follow individuals over time and did not test potency directly, so it documents that rates rose. The potency explanation is Volkow’s expert interpretation, not a finding of the analysis.
What This Means for Treatment Seekers
If you are researching addiction treatment for cannabis use, ask programs directly what their cannabis-specific protocol involves and who delivers it. Ask how withdrawal symptoms are managed without an approved medication, and what the aftercare plan looks like.
For adults in midlife and beyond, the data suggest this is no longer a niche question. Programs that have historically framed cannabis treatment around adolescents and young adults may not be built for a 55-year-old seeking help.
Exploring Treatment Options
Comparing rehab centers on specifics is more useful than comparing them on general reputation. Verify credentials and licensure, ask which evidence-based therapies are actually offered, and confirm insurance coverage for addiction treatment before admission rather than after.
Rehab.com’s directory lists verified treatment centers with program details, accepted insurance, and levels of care so you can compare options side by side. For immediate help, SAMHSA’s free and confidential National Helpline is available at 1-800-662-4357, 24 hours a day. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
