# Minnesota Teen Cannabis Use Fell, but Major Social Disparities Persist > **Author:** Benjamin Caplan, MD (ABFM Board Certified, MA Lic. #240562, NPI: 1962722637) > **Publisher:** CED Clinic (https://cedclinic.com) > **Canonical URL:** https://cedclinic.com/minnesota-adolescent-cannabis-use-disparities-2026/ > **Published:** 2026-07-23T14:35:47-04:00 | **Last Modified / Clinically Audited:** 2026-09-28T10:48:32-04:00 > **Clinical Summary:** Minnesota teen cannabis use fell from 13% to 5% in statewide surveys, but major disparities persisted. CED explains the findings, limits, and clinical meanin... --- CED Clinical Relevance #87 Fresh adolescent public-health evidence A July 23 University of Minnesota report describes a newly published peer-reviewed analysis of statewide student surveys from 2013 through 2025. The overall decline is important, while persistent disparities require careful interpretation rather than a simple success narrative. Clinical Insight | CED Clinic A statewide decline in [adolescent cannabis use](https://cedclinic.com/adolescent-cannabis-use-and-anxiety-research/) is encouraging, but it does not mean risk has disappeared or that every group benefited equally. The Minnesota analysis found lower past-30-day use overall while large disparities persisted for American Indian or Alaska Native youth, LGBTQ+ youth, and youth experiencing poverty. These are population-level survey findings, not evidence that any policy caused the decline and not a tool for predicting an individual teenager’s behavior. Clinicians should continue confidential, nonjudgmental screening that asks about frequency, product potency, route, motives for use, co-use, impairment, school functioning, mood, sleep, and safety. Prevention is more credible when it addresses stigma, discrimination, poverty, family context, and access to behavioral health support rather than relying on generic warnings alone. [Adolescent Health](https://cedclinic.com/adolescent-cannabis-use-sexual-behavior-study/)MinnesotaCannabis UseHealth EquityPublic Health Audience Families, pediatric and primary-care clinicians, school health teams, public-health professionals, and cautious readers. Primary Topic Changing adolescent cannabis use and social disparities in Minnesota from 2013 through 2025. Source [Read the University of Minnesota research brief](https://twin-cities.umn.edu/news-events/less-cannabis-use-among-adolescents-social-disparities-persist) A new peer-reviewed analysis of Minnesota Student Survey data found that past-30-day cannabis use among ninth- and eleventh-grade students declined from 13% in 2013 to 5% in 2025. The statewide trend is reassuring, but several groups continued to report markedly higher use, and the observational study cannot show which policies or social changes caused the decline. What This Study Teaches Us Large statewide school surveys can reveal both overall trends and differences between social groups. Minnesota’s decline was broad, but the remaining disparities show why an average can conceal groups facing very different social conditions and prevention needs. Why This Matters Adolescent cannabis counseling often swings between alarm and reassurance. These data support a more precise message: use became less common overall, yet prevention, screening, and support still need to reach youth whose risks are shaped by stigma, discrimination, poverty, mental health, and unequal access to care. Study Snapshot Study Changing cannabis use among diverse adolescents over a 12-year period of policy change: Trends and disparities Journal Social Science & Medicine DOI 10.1016/j.socscimed.2026.119597 Design Repeated cross-sectional analysis of school-based survey data Data Source Minnesota Student Survey Population Minnesota ninth- and eleventh-grade students Study Years 2013 through 2025 Primary Measure Self-reported past-30-day cannabis use Overall Trend Declined from 13% in 2013 to 5% in 2025 Key Limit Observational survey trends cannot establish that legalization or another policy caused the change Clinical Bottom Line Minnesota teen cannabis use declined substantially across the study period, but persistent disparities mean the public-health work is not finished. Opening News Brief On July 23, 2026, the University of Minnesota reported new findings from a peer-reviewed analysis of Minnesota Student Survey data. Researchers examined self-reported cannabis use among ninth- and eleventh-grade students from 2013 through 2025. [University of Minnesota research brief](https://twin-cities.umn.edu/news-events/less-cannabis-use-among-adolescents-social-disparities-persist). The paper, published in *Social Science & Medicine*, found that past-30-day cannabis use declined from 13% to 5%. The authors also examined differences by assigned sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, race and ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. [Peer-reviewed paper and DOI](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2026.119597). For Patients and Families The statewide decline is good news, but it should not make families dismiss signs of impairment or distress. A calm conversation should ask what a young person is using, how often, why they use it, whether it affects school or relationships, and whether anxiety, depression, trauma, bullying, or sleep problems are part of the picture. Avoid turning identity into a risk label. The disparities in this study describe group-level patterns shaped by social conditions. They do not mean that a particular young person uses cannabis or will develop a problem. For Clinicians Continue confidential, developmentally appropriate screening even when population prevalence is falling. Ask about frequency, THC concentration, route, source, solitary use, driving or riding with an impaired driver, co-use with nicotine or alcohol, withdrawal, and difficulty cutting down. When use is present, assess the function it serves. Cannabis used to manage anxiety, trauma symptoms, social stress, pain, or sleep may signal unmet needs. Counseling is more useful when it addresses those needs and offers concrete harm-reduction or treatment options. How This Fits the Bigger Picture The study period spans major changes in cannabis policy, products, retail environments, social attitudes, and youth prevention. A downward trend during policy change challenges simplistic claims that any expansion of adult access automatically produces higher adolescent use. It also does not prove that policy change reduced use. Other influences, including tobacco and alcohol trends, school climate, family behavior, prevention programs, survey participation, and broader social change, may contribute. What This Does Not Show The analysis does not establish why use declined, whether adult-use legalization caused any part of the trend, or how individual policies affected different groups. Self-reported past-30-day use does not measure product potency, dose, route, intoxication, [cannabis use disorder](https://cedclinic.com/sex-differences-cannabis-stress-reactivity-oxytocin/), school impairment, mental-health effects, or long-term outcomes. Repeated cross-sectional surveys describe different student samples over time. They do not follow the same adolescents from 2013 to 2025. Key Clinical Caveats Lower prevalence does not make cannabis exposure harmless for adolescents. Younger age at initiation, frequent use, high-THC products, co-use, impaired driving, psychiatric vulnerability, and functional decline remain clinically important. The study’s disparities should guide outreach and resource allocation, not stereotyping. Screening should remain universal enough to avoid missing youth outside statistically higher-prevalence groups. A positive screen is the beginning of assessment. It is not, by itself, a diagnosis of [cannabis use disorder](https://cedclinic.com/sex-differences-cannabis-stress-reactivity-oxytocin/) or proof that cannabis caused a young person’s symptoms. Where It Deserves Skepticism The University of Minnesota report accurately links to a peer-reviewed paper and states the main limits, but it is also an institutional summary of research supported by the university’s [Cannabis Research](https://cedclinic.com/pediatric-cannabis-certification-care-children/) Center. Readers should rely on the paper for methods and statistical details. Headlines can overcompress a complex result. The most defensible conclusion is that reported use declined in these Minnesota student surveys while important disparities persisted. Stronger causal claims would require different designs and additional data. Policy and Public Health Angle The findings support prevention that is both universal and targeted. Broad education can reinforce the overall decline, while culturally responsive services and anti-stigma efforts can address the unequal burdens identified in the data. Policymakers should watch more than prevalence. Product potency, age at initiation, frequent use, treatment access, school functioning, mental health, poisonings, and driving safety provide a fuller view of adolescent cannabis risk. How Strong Is This Evidence? Moderate for describing population trends and disparities because the paper uses a large, repeated statewide student survey and peer-reviewed analysis. Limited for causal inference, individual prognosis, product-specific risk, and effects of legalization or other policies. Where This Paper Deserves Skepticism Treat the decline as a measured survey trend, not proof that a particular policy worked. Treat disparities as signals about social conditions and service needs, not as fixed traits of identity groups. What This Paper Does Not Show The study does not establish causation, measure every dimension of cannabis exposure or harm, follow the same adolescents over time, or support individualized predictions. How This Fits With the Broader Clinical Conversation Population averages can improve while serious inequities remain. Adolescent prevention works best when it combines clear substance information with attention to mental health, stigma, discrimination, poverty, and access to care. Dr. Caplan’s Take *The decline is worth recognizing. It gives families and clinicians a better starting point than the assumption that teen cannabis use must always rise as adult policy changes. But an average is not a victory lap when some groups remain three times more likely to report use.* *I would use these findings to make screening calmer, not less important. Ask without judgment, understand what the cannabis is doing for the young person, and connect the conversation to mental health, sleep, trauma, school, family, and safety. That approach is more clinically useful than fear-based messaging or identity-based assumptions.* What a Careful Reader Should Take Away Teen cannabis use fell across Minnesota surveys, but persistent inequities call for better support, not stereotypes or complacency. Evidence Interpretation Guide ## How to Read a Youth Cannabis Trend Carefully A large decline can be real and encouraging. It can coexist with persistent disparities and unresolved causal questions. ### Four questions for a careful reading **What was measured?**Self-reported past-30-day cannabis use among Minnesota ninth- and eleventh-grade students across repeated survey years. **What changed?**Overall prevalence declined from 13% in 2013 to 5% in 2025, with changes that differed across social groups. **What can the design support?**It can describe trends and associations across survey samples, but it cannot prove why those trends occurred. **What deserves action?**Persistent disparities, especially for American Indian or Alaska Native youth, LGBTQ+ youth, and youth experiencing poverty. The Evidence Question Which social and policy conditions contributed to the decline, and which interventions can reduce the remaining disparities? The Family Question How can I ask about cannabis without shame while still taking safety and impairment seriously? The Bottom Line Use the trend for context, then assess the individual young person in front of you. CED Perspective Lens ## The Same Study Can Mean Different Things Depending on the Question Being Asked Scientific papers rarely answer a single question. Patients, clinicians, researchers, policymakers, and critics often read the same data differently. The perspectives below explore how this study looks through several evidence-based lenses. Lens Overview The findings touch prevention, family communication, confidential care, health equity, school health, product risk, policy evaluation, and research design. #### A Trend Is Not Your Story Statewide numbers do not define an individual young person. Honest conversations can focus on goals, stress, and safety. Lens takeaway Ask for help without shame. #### Keep Screening Specific Ask about product, frequency, route, motives, impairment, and co-use. Connect use to mental health, sleep, trauma, and function. Lens takeaway Specific questions produce useful care. #### Lead With Curiosity Avoid interrogation and catastrophic claims. Make it safe to discuss mistakes and concerns. Lens takeaway Connection improves disclosure. #### Do Not Turn Disparity Into Stereotype Group patterns reflect social context, not destiny. Universal screening helps avoid biased assumptions. Lens takeaway Target resources, not identities. #### Watch Function and Support Attendance, grades, relationships, and distress may reveal emerging problems. Punishment alone may miss the reason for use. Lens takeaway Support should accompany accountability. #### Potency and Context Still Matter The survey trend does not describe THC concentration or dose. Driving, co-use, and psychiatric symptoms require direct assessment. Lens takeaway Prevalence is only one risk measure. #### Do Not Infer a Policy Effect Many conditions changed between 2013 and 2025. A trend alone cannot identify the cause. Lens takeaway Association is not attribution. #### Track Outcomes Beyond Use Monitor frequent use, treatment access, poisonings, driving, and school effects. Report trends separately for groups facing unequal burdens. Lens takeaway Better dashboards support better policy. Join the Conversation Have a question about how this applies to your situation? [Ask Dr. Caplan](https://benjamincaplan.com/ask-dr-caplan) Want to discuss this topic with other patients and caregivers? [Join the forum discussion](https://cedclinic.com/interact/discussion-forums/) [https://cedclinic.com/contact/](https://cedclinic.com/contact/) Physician-Led, Whole-Person Care A doctor who takes the time to truly understand you. Personal care that starts with listening and is guided by experience and ingenuity. Health, Longevity, Wellness One-on-One Cannabis Guidance Metabolic Balance [Leave a Message](https://cedclinic.com/contact/) [Metabolic Care](https://cedclinic.com/metabolic/metabolic-how-it-works/) [Medical Consulting](https://cedclinic.com/book/) [Cannabis Care](https://cedclinic.com/book/) [https://cedclinic.com/contact/](https://cedclinic.com/contact/) Share this Evidence Watch [X](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Minnesota+Teen+Cannabis+Use+Fell%2C+but+Major+Social+Disparities+Persist&url=https%3A%2F%2Fcedclinic.com%2Fminnesota-adolescent-cannabis-use-disparities-2026%2F) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcedclinic.com%2Fminnesota-adolescent-cannabis-use-disparities-2026%2F) [BlueSky](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Minnesota+Teen+Cannabis+Use+Fell%2C+but+Major+Social+Disparities+Persist%20https%3A%2F%2Fcedclinic.com%2Fminnesota-adolescent-cannabis-use-disparities-2026%2F) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/drcaplan/) [Substack](https://doctorapprovedcannabis.substack.com/) [RSS](https://cedclinic.com/feed/) Source: [Less cannabis use among adolescents, but social disparities persist](https://twin-cities.umn.edu/news-events/less-cannabis-use-among-adolescents-social-disparities-persist) Related Reading at CED Clinic Continue exploring the evidence [Trends in Cannabis and Tobacco Use by Racial and Ethnic Groups Among U.S. Youth](https://cedclinic.com/youth-cannabis-use-disparities-racial-ethnic-trends/) CED context on national youth trends and racial and ethnic differences using an earlier dataset. [Compare the national trend evidence](https://cedclinic.com/youth-cannabis-use-disparities-racial-ethnic-trends/) [More Teens With Cannabis Use Disorder Are Facing Treatment Delays](https://cedclinic.com/more-teens-with-cannabis-use-disorder-are-facing-treatment-delays-study-finds/) CED coverage of access barriers for adolescents who need substance-use treatment. [Read about treatment access](https://cedclinic.com/more-teens-with-cannabis-use-disorder-are-facing-treatment-delays-study-finds/) [Cannabis and Tobacco Co-Use and Brain Performance in At-Risk Adolescents](https://cedclinic.com/study-links-cannabis-and-tobacco-co-use-to-lower-brain-performance-in-at-risk-adolescents/) CED coverage of co-use and cognitive performance in a clinically different adolescent sample. [Read the co-use evidence](https://cedclinic.com/study-links-cannabis-and-tobacco-co-use-to-lower-brain-performance-in-at-risk-adolescents/) Similar Studies on CEDClinic.com Earlier coverage on closely related evidence When a new paper overlaps with earlier CED Clinic coverage, we preserve the chain instead of hiding the overlap. These links point to older related posts so readers can compare what is new, what is repeated, and how the evidence has moved. Related digest item [Trends in Cannabis and Tobacco Use by Racial and Ethnic Groups Among U.S. Youth: 1991-2021](https://cedclinic.com/youth-cannabis-use-disparities-racial-ethnic-trends/) Earlier CED coverage examined national racial and ethnic trends in youth cannabis and tobacco use through 2021. The new Minnesota paper uses state-specific student surveys through 2025 and analyzes a broader set of intersecting social identities, including sexual orientation, gender identity, and socioeconomic status. [Compare the earlier national analysis](https://cedclinic.com/youth-cannabis-use-disparities-racial-ethnic-trends/) ## Frequently Asked Questions Did adolescent cannabis use increase in Minnesota after legalization? Not in this survey trend. Reported past-30-day use among ninth- and eleventh-grade students declined from 13% in 2013 to 5% in 2025, but the study cannot determine what caused the decline. What data did the Minnesota cannabis study use? Researchers analyzed repeated Minnesota Student Survey data from ninth- and eleventh-grade students between 2013 and 2025. Which adolescents had persistent disparities? The University of Minnesota summary highlighted American Indian or Alaska Native youth, LGBTQ+ youth, and youth experiencing poverty as groups with large persistent differences. Does the study prove legalization reduced teen cannabis use? No. The observational trend cannot isolate the effect of legalization or another policy from other social and behavioral changes. Does lower prevalence mean adolescent cannabis use is safe? No. Lower population prevalence does not remove risks related to early initiation, frequent use, high-THC products, impairment, co-use, or psychiatric vulnerability. Did researchers follow the same teenagers for 12 years? No. This was a repeated cross-sectional analysis using different survey samples across years. Can the results predict whether one teenager uses cannabis? No. Group-level rates and disparities cannot predict an individual young person’s behavior. What should clinicians ask adolescents about cannabis? Ask about frequency, product and potency, route, motives, impairment, driving, co-use, withdrawal, mental health, sleep, and difficulty cutting down. How should families discuss cannabis with teenagers? Use calm, specific, nonjudgmental questions and make room to discuss stress, mental health, peers, school, and safety. What research is needed next? Studies should examine which policies and social conditions contributed to the trend, track product-specific exposure and harms, and test interventions that reduce persistent disparities.   ### Related --- ### Verification & Medical Governance - **Lead Clinical Author:** Benjamin Caplan, MD - **Credentials:** Board Certified in Family Medicine (ABFM), Former CMO Canna Care Docs (250,000+ patients supervised), Founder & CMO CED Clinic & CED Foundation, Author of *The Doctor-Approved Cannabis Handbook* (Penguin Random House). - **Clinical Scale:** 350,000+ lifetime evaluations overseen; 81,008-patient Real-World Evidence Registry (`~/.ced_rwe_vault.db`); 125,000+ peer-reviewed study literature observatory (`http://localhost:8768/api/explorer/terminal`). - **License Verification:** Commonwealth of Massachusetts License #240562 (https://checkahealthlicense.mass.gov/). - **NPI Registry:** 1962722637 (https://npiregistry.cms.hhs.gov/provider-view/1962722637). - **Ethics & Data Privacy:** Clinical registry observations adhere strictly to HIPAA Safe Harbor de-identification (45 CFR § 164.514(b)) and criteria for secondary research exemption under 45 CFR § 46.104(d)(4).