How legal recreational cannabis affects teens' use and health
Assessing the Impact of Cannabis Legalization on Adolescent Cannabis Use and Cannabis-Related Health Conditions
This project looks at whether California's recreational cannabis laws changed how often teens use cannabis and whether that led to more health problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Kaiser Foundation Research Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Oakland, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11306554 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a teen's point of view, researchers are using nearly 900,000 adolescents' medical records from Kaiser Permanente Northern California between 2015 and 2023 to see changes in cannabis use and related health visits. They compare trends before and after state legalization using a quasi-experimental interrupted time series design and also examine differences across local rules like retailer limits, advertising rules, and taxes. The team will link home addresses to retailer locations and map local policies to understand whether proximity or local regulations affect teen use or harms. Outcomes include self-reported cannabis use screening, cannabis use disorder, emergency visits, accidents, respiratory and mental health problems, and other cannabis-related conditions.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adolescents aged 12–20 who receive care in Kaiser Permanente Northern California and have routine cannabis screening and a home address on file.
Not a fit: Those who are not Kaiser Permanente Northern California members, live outside the study area, are outside the 12–20 age range, or lack screening/address data are unlikely to be included or benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, results could guide local and state policies and help doctors, schools, and families prevent teen cannabis harms.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier studies of legalization and teen use have been smaller or inconsistent, so this large, detailed EHR and local-policy analysis is relatively novel and more comprehensive.
Where this research is happening
Oakland, UNITED STATES
- Kaiser Foundation Research Institute — Oakland, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Young-Wolff, Kelly Corinne — Kaiser Foundation Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Young-Wolff, Kelly Corinne
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.