Cannabis use statistics

Cannabis use remains a widespread issue in the UK, with many people using the drug for recreational, medicinal, or habitual purposes. As attitudes towards cannabis shift and potency levels increase, concerns continue to grow around its impact on mental health, addiction, and wider society.

Here, we explore key statistics on the prevalence and demographics of cannabis use, treatment trends, the links between cannabis and mental health, usage among young people, and associated risks.

Prevalence

• Cannabis has consistently been the most used drug in England and Wales since estimates began, with 6.8% of people aged 16 to 59 reporting cannabis use in the past year. [1]
• Cannabis use decreased from 7.6% (around 2.5 million people) to 6.8% (around 2.3 million people), returning to levels seen a decade ago. [1]
• Around one-third of people in the UK (34%) aged 16 to 59 years who used cannabis in the last year used the drug more than once a month, with 10% using it every day. [1]
• Across Europe, 8% of adults (22.8 million people aged 15 to 64) reported cannabis use in the last year. [3]

Young people 

• 13.8% of people aged 16 to 24 years have reported smoking cannabis within the last year. [1]
• Among school pupils who first took drugs at age 14, 77% used cannabis, and at age 15, 72% used cannabis. [2]
• Starting cannabis use in adolescence increases the risk of addiction to 16%, alongside potential long-term mental health damage. [5]
• Daily cannabis use is linked to a 60% decrease in the likelihood of finishing high school or obtaining a degree, compared to non-users. [11]
• Young people excluded from mainstream education are more likely to use cannabis regularly. [12]

People seeking cannabis-related treatment 

• Between 2021 and 2022, the UK saw a 4% increase in new entrants to treatment for cannabis-related problems. [6]
• In 2021-2022, 133,704 people began treatment for drug and alcohol problems, with 21% citing cannabis as their primary issue.
• 14,352 children and young people (aged 17 and under) received alcohol and drug treatment between April 2023 and March 2024. Cannabis was the most common substance (87%) they sought treatment for. [2]
• In Europe, an estimated 92,000 people entered specialist drug treatment for cannabis-related problems. [3]

Trends 

• People with household incomes of less than £10,400 per year were more likely to have used cannabis (10.7%) than those with higher incomes. [1]
• The UK medical cannabis market is the second largest in Europe and is expected to be worth £300m in 2025 [7]
• In late 2019, fewer than 250 people in the UK were active medical cannabis users. By 2024, this number is expected to rise to approximately 337,900 users. [4]

Links with mental health

• Cannabis use increases the risk of schizophrenia and other psychoses—the more frequent the use, the higher the risk. [8]
• Near-daily cannabis use may be associated with worsening symptoms in individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder. [8]
• Research shows that cannabis users have a heightened risk of developing psychosis, with early use further increasing this risk. [9]
• Adolescents who have used cannabis are 2.07 times more likely to develop mild/moderate depression and 3.32 times more likely to develop severe major depressive disorder. [10]
• Past 12-month cannabis use, mild/moderate major depressive episodes or severe major depressive episodes were associated with higher odds of suicide attempt. [10]

More statistics