Cannabis use is growing in Brazil and advancing among female adolescents

Cannabis consumption has consistently increased in Brazil over the past decade, with a unique shift in the profile among adolescents. While substance use has decreased among boys, there has been significant growth among girls aged 14 to 17, according to data from the Third National Survey on Alcohol and Drugs (LENAD III), coordinated by the Federal University of São Paulo (Unifesp).

The research compared information collected in 2012 and 2023 from a representative sample of the Brazilian population. Among female adolescents, the proportion reporting having used cannabis at least once in their lifetime increased from 2.1% to 7.9% over the period — a nearly fourfold increase. Meanwhile, among boys in the same age group, the prevalence decreased from 7.3% to 4.6%.

According to the researchers, this gender reversal is unprecedented in the LENAD's historical series and does not occur with other illicit drugs analyzed. In the overall population aged 14 and over, cannabis use more than doubled in ten years, rising from 6.2% to approximately 15%. In absolute numbers, this represents around 28 million Brazilians who have had contact with the substance at least once in their lives.

The survey also confirms cannabis as the most consumed illicit drug in the country. The percentage of people reporting use in the last year increased from 2.8% in 2012 to 6% in 2023. However, the proportion of individuals meeting criteria for dependence remained relatively stable, around 1.2% of the population.

According to the study, the increase in the number of users results in a dilution of individual proportional risk but expands the contingent of people potentially exposed to problematic consumption patterns. Among current users, about one in three shows signs of problematic use.

The analysis also indicates greater vulnerability among adolescents, especially girls, to adverse events, psychological distress, and the need for emergency care.