Jul 22, 2025 04:49 PM
(This post was last modified: Jul 22, 2025 04:50 PM by C C.)
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1091949
INTRO: Cannabis use disorder in adolescents in the United States remains a growing threat despite declines in cannabis use. Many adolescents begin using cannabis before high school during crucial stages of brain development, which may pose short- and long-term risks for cognitive, academic and social challenges.
Although behavioral therapies show promise, there is still limited understanding of what truly drives recovery in teens. With treatment often sought only after serious problems emerge, identifying who succeeds – and why – is essential to developing more effective and targeted interventions.
Researchers at Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine conducted a study to better understand how U.S. adolescents respond to treatment for cannabis use disorder. They analyzed data collected from more than 40,000 adolescents ages 12 to 17 who received treatment between 2018 and 2021. They investigated treatment completion rates and explored possible obstacles that hinder recovery.
Results of the study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Pediatric Reports, show that treatment completion rates remain low, ranging from 34.2% in 2018 to 33.8% in 2021. The most common reasons for not completing treatment in all years were dropping out, transferring to another facility and being terminated by the facility.
Nearly 60% of the adolescents started using cannabis between ages 12 and 14. More than one-third reported co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. Adolescents who began using cannabis at age 11 or younger had a significantly lower treatment completion rate of 12.9%.
“While gender differences in treatment completion were relatively small, boys were somewhat less likely to complete treatment than girls,” said Panagiota “Yiota” Kitsantas, Ph.D., corresponding author, former chair of the FAU Department of Population Health and currently an affiliate professor in the Schmidt College of Medicine. “These patterns pose new challenges for treatment models.”
Hispanic and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander/Asian Pacific Islander adolescents were more likely to complete treatment. In contrast, Black and white non-Hispanic adolescents were less likely to complete treatment. Adolescents with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders (30.3%) and the use of substances other than cannabis at admission (31.9%) were less likely to complete treatment... (MORE - details, no ads)
INTRO: Cannabis use disorder in adolescents in the United States remains a growing threat despite declines in cannabis use. Many adolescents begin using cannabis before high school during crucial stages of brain development, which may pose short- and long-term risks for cognitive, academic and social challenges.
Although behavioral therapies show promise, there is still limited understanding of what truly drives recovery in teens. With treatment often sought only after serious problems emerge, identifying who succeeds – and why – is essential to developing more effective and targeted interventions.
Researchers at Florida Atlantic University’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine conducted a study to better understand how U.S. adolescents respond to treatment for cannabis use disorder. They analyzed data collected from more than 40,000 adolescents ages 12 to 17 who received treatment between 2018 and 2021. They investigated treatment completion rates and explored possible obstacles that hinder recovery.
Results of the study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Pediatric Reports, show that treatment completion rates remain low, ranging from 34.2% in 2018 to 33.8% in 2021. The most common reasons for not completing treatment in all years were dropping out, transferring to another facility and being terminated by the facility.
Nearly 60% of the adolescents started using cannabis between ages 12 and 14. More than one-third reported co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. Adolescents who began using cannabis at age 11 or younger had a significantly lower treatment completion rate of 12.9%.
“While gender differences in treatment completion were relatively small, boys were somewhat less likely to complete treatment than girls,” said Panagiota “Yiota” Kitsantas, Ph.D., corresponding author, former chair of the FAU Department of Population Health and currently an affiliate professor in the Schmidt College of Medicine. “These patterns pose new challenges for treatment models.”
Hispanic and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander/Asian Pacific Islander adolescents were more likely to complete treatment. In contrast, Black and white non-Hispanic adolescents were less likely to complete treatment. Adolescents with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders (30.3%) and the use of substances other than cannabis at admission (31.9%) were less likely to complete treatment... (MORE - details, no ads)