A study of more than 175,000 students found that teens consistently perceive cannabis as lower risk than nicotine products and alcohol, with perceived harm declining as students age.
RT’s Three Key Takeaways:
- Harm Perception Trends: Adolescents consistently view cannabis as less harmful than alcohol, nicotine vapes, and cigarettes, a trend that remained stable in California between 2019 and 2024.
- Age-Related Risk: Unlike alcohol and tobacco, the perceived harm of cannabis decreases as students reach higher grade levels, with the lowest risk perception occurring in the 12th grade.
- Social Influence Factor: Peer use and personal experience significantly lower the perceived risk of cannabis among teens, representing a larger perception gap than that of other substances.
Adolescents in California consistently perceive cannabis as less harmful than other commonly used substances, including alcohol, nicotine vapes, and cigarettes, according to a study analyzing data from two large statewide school surveys.
Shu-Hong Zhu, PhD, professor at the University of California San Diego (UC San Diego) Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, and co-authors examined how teens view the risks of everyday and occasional use of these substances. The study, published May 5, 2026, in Drug and Alcohol Dependence, analyzed responses from more than 175,000 students across surveys conducted in 2019-2020 and 2024.
The findings show a persistent pattern where cannabis is viewed as the least harmful substance among respondents. In the 2019-2020 survey, approximately two-thirds of adolescents considered regular cannabis use harmful, which was a lower proportion than those who viewed alcohol, vaping, and cigarettes as harmful. These trends held steady in the 2024 data, suggesting that the relatively low perception of cannabis-related risk has remained consistent over time.
The research also identified significant differences based on age, experience, and social environment. Unlike alcohol and tobacco products—where perceived harm generally stayed the same or increased with grade level—perceptions of cannabis risk declined as students got older. Younger adolescents were more likely to view cannabis as harmful, but this perception weakened significantly by the 12th grade.
Peer influence and personal experience played major roles in these perceptions. Adolescents with more friends who used a substance consistently rated it as less harmful, with the strongest effect observed for cannabis. Additionally, teens who had used a substance were less likely to view it as harmful, with the largest perception gap again seen for cannabis.
These findings raise concerns for public healthcare, as lower perceived risk is often associated with a higher likelihood of use. Although overall adolescent cannabis use has declined in recent years, researchers noted that it remains a concern due to potential impacts on brain development, cognition, and mental health.
Prevention and education efforts may need to better address cannabis-specific risks, particularly as shifting social norms and increased exposure to pro-cannabis messaging may be influencing how young people perceive its safety, said the researchers in a news release.
