U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Reduce the proportion of people who had marijuana use disorder in the past year — SU‑14 Data Methodology and Measurement

On this page:  About the National Data  |  Methodology

About the National Data

Data

Data Source:  National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), SAMHSA

Baseline: 1.6 percent of persons aged 12 years and over had a marijuana use disorder (defined as meeting DSM-IV criteria) in the past 12 months in 2018

Target: 1.3 percent

Numerator
Number of persons aged 12 years and over with marijuana use disorder (defined as meeting DSM-IV criteria) in the past 12 months.
Denominator
Number of persons aged 12 years and over.
Target-setting method
Projection
Target-setting method details
Linear trend fitted using weighted least squares and a projection at the 50 percent prediction interval.
1
Target-setting method justification
Trend data were evaluated for this objective. Using historical data points, a trend line was fitted using weighted least squares, and the trend was projected into the next decade. This method was used because three or more comparable data points were available, the projected value was within the range of possible values, and a projection at the 50 percent prediction interval was selected because no additional information could be used to assess the trend line, so the target was based on the projection.

Methodology

Questions used to obtain the national baseline data

(For additional information, please visit the data source page linked above.)

From the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health:

Numerator:
DRMJ01 [IF MAR12MON= 1 - 3] During the past 12 months, was there a month or more when you spent a lot of your time getting or using marijuana or hashish?
  1. Yes
  2. No
DRMJ02 [IF DRMJ01 = 2 OR DK/REF] During the past 12 months, was there a month or more when you spent a lot of your time getting over the effects of the marijuana or hashish you used?
  1. Yes
  2. No
DRMJ04 [IF MAR12MON= 1 - 3] During the past 12 months, did you try to set limits on how often or how much marijuana or hashish you would use?
  1. Yes
  2. No
DRMJ05 [IF DRMJ04 = 1] Were you able to keep to the limits you set, or did you often use marijuana or hashish more than you intended to?
  1. Usually kept to the limits set
  2. Often drank more than intended
DRMJ06 [IF MAR12MON = 1 - 3] During the past 12 months, did you need to use more marijuana or hashish than you used to in order to get the effect you wanted?
  1. Yes
  2. No
DRMJ07 [IF DRMJ06=2 OR DK/REF] During the past 12 months, did you notice that using the same amount of marijuana or hashish had less effect on you than it used to?
  1. Yes
  2. No
DRMJ08 [IF MAR12MON= 1 - 3] During the past 12 months, did you want to or try to cut down or stop using marijuana or hashish?
  1. Yes
  2. No
DRMJ09 [IF DRMJ08 = 1] During the past 12 months, were you able to cut down or stop using marijuana or hashish every time you wanted to or tried to?
  1. Yes
  2. No
DRMJ13 [IF MAR12MON= 1 - 3] During the past 12 months, did you have any problems with your emotions, nerves, or mental health that were probably caused or made worse by your use of marijuana or hashish?
  1. Yes
  2. No
DRMJ14 [IF DRMJ13 = 1] Did you continue to use marijuana or hashish even though you thought it was causing you to have problems with your emotions, nerves, or mental health?
  1. Yes
  2. No
DRMJ15 [IF DRMJ13 = 2 OR DK/REF OR DRMJ14 = 2 OR DK/REF] During the past 12 months, did you have any physical health problems that were probably caused or made worse by your use of marijuana or hashish?
  1. Yes
  2. No
DRMJ16 [IF DRMJ15 = 1] Did you continue to use marijuana or hashish even though you thought it was causing you to have physical problems?
  1. Yes
  2. No

DRMJ17 [IF MAR12MON= 1 - 3] This question is about important activities such as working, going to school, taking care of children, doing fun things such as hobbies and sports, and spending time with friends and family.

During the past 12 months, did using marijuana or hashish cause you to give up or spend less time doing these types of important activities?

  1. Yes
  2. No

DRMJ18 [IF MAR12MON= 1 - 3] Sometimes people who use marijuana or hashish have serious problems at home, work or school — such as:

  • neglecting their children
  • missing work or school
  • doing a poor job at work or school
  • losing a job or dropping out of school
During the past 12 months, did using marijuana or hashish cause you to have serious problems like this either at home, work, or school?
  1. Yes
  2. No
DRMJ19 [IF MAR12MON= 1 - 3] During the past 12 months, did you regularly use marijuana or hashish and then do something where using marijuana or hashish might have put you in physical danger?
  1. Yes
  2. No
DRMJ20 [IF MAR12MON= 1 - 3] During the past 12 months, did using marijuana or hashish cause you to do things that repeatedly got you in trouble with the law?
  1. Yes
  2. No
[IF MAR12MON= 1 - 3] During the past 12 months, did you have any problems with family or friends that were probably caused by your use of marijuana or hashish?
  1. Yes
  2. No
DRMJ22 [IF DRMJ21 = 1] Did you continue to use marijuana or hashish even though you thought it caused problems with family or friends?
  1. Yes
  2. No

Methodology notes

NSDUH respondents who used marijuana on 6 or more days in the past 12 months were categorized as having a marijuana use disorder if they met the DSM-IV criteria for either dependence or abuse for marijuana. Illicit drug use disorder is defined as meeting DSM-IV criteria for either dependence or abuse for one or more of the following illicit drugs: marijuana, cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants, methamphetamine, or prescription psychotherapeutic drugs that were misused (i.e., pain relievers, tranquilizers, stimulants, and sedatives).

1. Because Healthy People 2030 objectives have a desired direction (e.g., increase or decrease), the confidence level of a one-sided prediction interval can be used as an indication of how likely a target will be to achieve based on the historical data and fitted trend.