More Michigan Teens in Trauma Care Test Positive for THC

What the study found

Davis and colleagues looked back at records of 2,386 patients aged 12 to 18 who were treated at a Level I pediatric trauma center. They compared the years before and after Michigan legalized cannabis for adults in 2018: 1,123 patients before, 1,263 after.

• Among patients who were screened for drugs, THC positivity rose from 19.5% to 34.4%.
• Among all trauma patients, screened or not, it rose from 4.6% to 8.7%.
• After adjusting for other factors, the odds of a positive THC result were about 2.4 times higher in the years after legalization (adjusted odds ratio 2.39, 95% confidence interval 1.47 to 3.91).

What it does not show

This is an association, not proof that legalization caused the change. Only some patients were screened, and which teens get screened can change over time. A positive THC test also does not say how recently or how often someone used. It shows that more injured teenagers in this hospital had THC in their system, nothing more.

Why it matters if you use every day

Michigan’s law is for adults 21 and older. Still, the numbers point the same way many other findings do: when cannabis is easier to get, more young people end up using it. The CDC states that about 3 in 10 people who use cannabis have cannabis use disorder. For someone who started at 15 or 16, that is not an abstract figure.

If you are under 21 and notice that you cannot stop, or that you use more than you meant to, you are not weak. Cannabis use disorder is common, and it is treatable. The earlier you cut back, the less there is to undo.

What you can do now

• Write down how much and how often you use for one week. The honest number is the starting point.
• Pick one time of day to skip first, usually the one that has become pure habit.
• Tell one person you trust. Quitting alone is harder than it needs to be.

Sources

Davis RT et al., “A budding problem: Marijuana use in pediatric trauma patients before and after legalization,” Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, October 2026 (PMID 42246950). CDC, “Cannabis Use Disorder,” cdc.gov/cannabis/health-effects. First reported by Spartan Newsroom (Capital News Service), October 23, 2026.