Marijuana Use Among American Parents Has Surged — Millions of Children Could Be Affected, New Study Finds

A dramatic rise in daily cannabis use among parents is raising new questions about child safety, family well-being and the potential consequences of frequent marijuana use at home.

Marijuana use among American parents has climbed sharply over the past decade, with millions of children now living in households where a parent uses cannabis on most days, according to a new study.

Researchers estimate that at least 5.9 million U.S. children under 18 lived with a parent who used cannabis frequently in 2024. The findings highlight a significant shift in substance-use patterns among American families.

The study, published in the journal Addictive Behaviors, analyzed data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health spanning 2012 through 2024. Researchers examined responses from nearly 482,000 survey participants to track cannabis use among parents and adults without children.

Daily Marijuana Use Has Quadrupled

The findings reveal a striking increase in frequent cannabis use among parents living with children under 18.

In 2012, approximately 1.3% of parents reported using cannabis every day. By 2024, that figure had climbed to 5.2% — roughly four times the original rate.

Meanwhile, the percentage of parents using cannabis on most days rose from 2.6% to 8% over the same period.

That means roughly one in 12 parents used marijuana on most days in 2024, compared with approximately one in 39 in 2012.

Researchers also found that 6.7% of parents met the criteria for cannabis use disorder in 2024, up from 4.4% in 2020, when the study first measured that outcome.

Cannabis use disorder involves a problematic pattern of cannabis use that causes significant impairment or distress. It is distinct from simply using marijuana, even frequently.

Marijuana Use Now Outpaces Daily Alcohol Use Among Parents

One of the study’s most notable findings concerns the changing relationship between marijuana and alcohol consumption.

In 2024, parents were approximately four times as likely to report daily cannabis use as daily alcohol use. Daily marijuana use affected 5.2% of parents, compared with 1.3% who reported drinking alcohol every day.

The pattern represents a substantial shift from 2012, when daily alcohol use among parents was slightly more common than daily cannabis use.

The researchers also found that frequent marijuana use increased among parents and nonparents at broadly similar rates. This suggests that the rise reflects a wider trend in American cannabis consumption rather than a change limited to parents.

Younger and Lower-Income Parents Saw Some of the Largest Increases

The increase was not evenly distributed across every demographic group.

Some of the largest rises in frequent cannabis use occurred among younger parents, unmarried adults, people with lower incomes and those without a four-year college degree.

Researchers said these patterns deserve particular attention because some families may have fewer financial resources or less access to caregiving support and treatment services.

However, the study does not establish why these groups experienced larger increases, nor does it prove that income or marital status directly causes frequent cannabis use.

What Could This Mean for Children?

The findings raise important questions about how frequent marijuana use may affect parenting and children’s home environments.

Cannabis can impair attention, judgment, coordination and reaction time. Those effects may be particularly concerning when an adult is responsible for supervising children, responding to emergencies or driving them.

Researchers also noted that previous studies have linked cannabis use with aspects of parenting quality. However, the new study measured patterns of cannabis consumption rather than directly testing how parental use affected children’s health or development.

The researchers emphasized that more research is needed to understand the relationship between frequent cannabis use, parenting responsibilities and children’s well-being.

The study also found that smoking remained the most common method among parents who used cannabis frequently. About 82% of this group reported smoking cannabis during the previous month, while 42% reported consuming edible products.

These findings highlight potential concerns about children’s access to cannabis products and exposure to secondhand smoke, although the study did not establish how often such exposure occurred.

A Growing Public Health Question

The researchers concluded that the sharp increase in daily cannabis use among parents deserves greater attention from public health officials, clinicians and policymakers.

They also stressed that the findings do not mean every parent who uses marijuana is unable to care for their children. Frequency of use, impairment, the circumstances of use and the availability of support all matter when assessing potential risks.

Still, the scale of the increase is difficult to ignore.

With daily cannabis use among parents rising from a relatively uncommon behavior in 2012 to a much more prevalent one in 2024, understanding its effects on family life has become an increasingly important public health issue.

For millions of American children, the question is no longer simply whether marijuana is becoming more common. It is also how frequent use may affect the people responsible for keeping them safe and cared for.