Gen Z and Millennials Prefer Cannabis Edibles and THC Drinks
Young people are using less alcohol and more cannabis THC, often in edibles.
Updated July 16, 2025 | Reviewed by Hara Estroff Marano
Some good news: In 2024, the past‑year cannabis use among secondary‑school students reached record lows of 26 percent in 12th graders, 16 percent for 10th graders, and 7 percent in 8th graders, according to the University of Michigan. These are the lowest levels in about three decades.
Yet, there's bad news: Cannabis in the form of edibles and THC drinks is increasingly popular among teens and young adults. Edibles include baked goods with cannabis (brownies, cookies, pastries), cannabis gummies, and cannabis candy (lollipops, caramels, hard candies), as well as marijuana-infused drinks. THC edibles and beverages are showing exponential growth in availability, consumer interest, and sales, especially in the last one to two years.
Ten years ago, when I was chairman of the department of psychiatry at the University of Florida, we’d heard about THC gummies and other edibles used in California or Colorado, states that legalized recreational cannabis. But it wasn’t an issue in Florida. Also, THC-infused beverages were largely absent from the market.
Fast forward, and the picture has changed considerably. THC edibles are now very popular among adolescents, partly because they taste good and are also easier to conceal than “weed” and its paraphernalia. THC gummies often include high-potency products with youth-friendly packaging (candy look-alikes).
Gen Z, along with millennials, prefer gummy candies to weed. Also, edibles are seen as much safer than smoking .
Fact: THC ingestion in any form poses significant risks to the hearts and brains of regular users, as well as affecting their behavior.
THC-infused beverages entered U.S. markets about five years ago, and the number of THC beverages nearly doubled in states where legal. U.S. annual sales for THC beverages are currently $1+ billion. Many THC products are available in gas stations, convenience stores, and online, often without age verification.
One standard ingredient of THC baked goods is cannabis-infused butter or cannabutter. People commonly use cannabutter to make weed brownies, cookies, and cakes, or spread it on toast or other food. Many variables are at play when infusing butter with weed, and there’s no exact science or formula to it. A candy bar made with THC may contain four or more times the THC than what is considered a safe adult dose.
A Large Growing Market
Edibles are often indistinguishable from regular food items, as they lack the characteristic smell of marijuana that accompanies smoking. Sales of cannabis edibles reached $3.6 billion in the U.S. in 2021 and are anticipated to exceed $8 billion in 2025. Among teens, edible use ranges from 21 percent in Los Angeles (10th graders) to 33 percent in Northern California (9th–12th graders), according to a U.S.-based pharmacist source, which noted that 82 percent of past‑month cannabis users also use THC edibles or beverages.
Edibles Are Slower-Acting than Smoked Cannabis
It can take 30 minutes to two hours for edibles to induce intoxicating effects. The effects last longer than with smoked cannabis, depending on the amount ingested, whether eaten on an empty stomach, and whether medications or alcohol were used at the same time. Peak effects are delayed one-half to three hours (or even up to eight hours) because orally consumed cannabis must be metabolized in the digestive system. Ignorance of the delayed effect may lead to excessive consumption.
The amount or strength of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in edible products is difficult to measure and often unknown or inaccurately labeled on products.
The number of children under age 5 accidentally poisoned by cannabis edibles has soared 1,375 percent since 2017.
THC gummies are intended for adults aged 21 and over, but pediatricians report that small children are consuming edibles at home and becoming ill, developing problems walking, sitting up, or even breathing. Pediatric poisonings caused by THC can also present with slurred or slowed speech, as well as slower movements, even paranoia , and heightened anxiety . In severe cases, seizures and coma may occur.
A broad review found that cannabis use (all forms) is associated with a 29 percent higher risk of heart attack and a 20 percent higher risk of stroke, even in young adults without prior cardiovascular issues.
After the legalization of cannabis edibles in Canada in 2019, there was a 43 percent increase in students using cannabis edibles. Worse, overall cannabis use rose by 26 percent, and cannabis smoking increased by 34 percent. There was also a 28 percent increase in teens using cannabis and alcohol together.
In a study from Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children, 138 children presented to emergency departments with cannabis intoxication. Fifty-two children (38 percent) were admitted to intensive care, and one child died.
U.S. experience in California is similarly concerning. In an extensive longitudinal study of adolescents in Los Angeles, ever-use of any cannabis product during 11th grade predicted a higher likelihood of initiating non-cannabis illicit drugs over 12 months. The findings suggest that the dose of THC and the type of cannabis products are important for predicting risks for progression to other illicit drugs. All forms of cannabis used by adolescents—especially concentrates and multiple products—were linked to markedly higher odds of initiating other illicit drug use within a year.
Research on cannabis edibles, such as baked goods, candies, and beverages, and other forms of cannabis use is in its infancy. Teen use in any form has not been proven safe, and the extensive recent literature on THC exposure warrants the assumption that use is dangerous until proven otherwise.
Adolescent brains are still maturing, especially the parts that involve decision-making , impulse control, and emotional regulation . Regular THC exposure can alter brain development and impair learning, memory , and attention . Early and frequent teen THC exposures are strongly associated with higher rates of depression , anxiety, and other mental health problems.
The adolescent brain is particularly susceptible to addiction and cannabis use disorders. Eating and drinking drugs are indeed less addictive routes of drug administration than injection, smoking, or sniffing—but still addictive. Further, cannabis users also consume edibles and THC-infused beverages, and vice versa. Many drink alcohol, and some use other drugs, too. THC gummies and beverages containing concentrated doses can cause unintentional overconsumption, toxicity, and behavioral emergencies.
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Mark S. Gold, M.D., is a pioneering researcher, professor, and chairman of psychiatry at Yale, the University of Florida, and Washington University in St Louis.
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