Cannabis is used by a startling number of people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Studies show that more than half of daily and non-daily cannabis users have ADHD1, and about one-third of adolescents with ADHD report cannabis use2.
People with ADHD are also three times as likely as their neurotypical peers to have ever used marijuana.3As with other popular substances, cannabis is commonly abused.
In fact, the risk of developing cannabis use disorder (CUD), a problematic pattern of cannabis use linked to clinically significant impairment, is twice as high in people with ADHD3.
Contrary to popular belief, individuals can be mentally and chemically dependent on and addicted to cannabis. Contemporary marijuana has concentrations of THC higher than historically reported, which exacerbates this.