Because there is a strong connection between youth THC use and later opioid misuse, several of our partners have been able to access opioid settlement funds and grants in partnership with their state, region, or local opioid councils to bring Johnny’s Ambassadors evidence-based programs to their schools and communities. Since our assemblies, community conversations, and prevention keynotes “provide public education campaigns that raise awareness about addiction, promote recovery resources, and engage youth, parents, and schools,” they qualify for opioid settlement funds. Specifically, Johnny’s Ambassadors meets the criteria under “Youth Prevention: Programs targeting youth from grade school onward with strategies to reduce risk factors, build resilience, and prevent early substance use.”
While every state and local government has different language for the use of opioid settlement funds, they all qualify due to the strong relationship between early THC use and the progression to opioids:
- Predictor of Risk: The 2022 Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) data suggest a strong relationship between early youth marijuana use and later opioid misuse. Lifetime marijuana use was the #1 predictor a high school senior will have abused opioids in the past 30 days. In other words, adolescents with cannabis use problems are at greater odds of subsequent nonmedical prescription opioid use.
- Early Use Risks: Independent research published in 2026 in Addictive Behaviors (using data from 2002–2024) found that cannabis use prior to age 15 is associated with the highest rate of lifetime and past-year opioid use disorder. Another prominent study highlighting youth marijuana use as a predictor of opioid misuse is the analysis was published in Frontiers in Public Health in December 2025 titled “Co-use of opioids and cannabis versus single-substance use, which emphasized that starting cannabis use before age 18 significantly heightens the risk of subsequent addiction and related harms.
- High Co-Occurrence: As of 2025, national survey results from Monitoring the Future (MTF) and the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) indicate that approximately 8.5% of high school students report the co-use of marijuana and opioids.
- High-Risk Trajectories: According to longitudinal research and CDC YRBS data, youth from ages 6 to 26 with an “Adolescent Onset Chronic” marijuana use pattern had the highest rates of opioid misuse—44.8%—compared to only 8.3% for non-users. So, not all teen marijuana users progress to using opioids, but early and frequent use significantly increases the likelihood of future misuse.
- Emotional Health: Research from Columbia University in 2025 noted that even occasional cannabis use (once or twice a month) in teens is linked to higher rates of depression and impulsive behavior, which are known precursors to broader substance misuse.
- Neurodevelopmental Risk: Researchers at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) point to animal studies showing that early exposure to THC can change the brain’s reward system, potentially making it more responsive to other addictive substances like opioids.
- Independent Association: In large-scale surveys like the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), the link between early marijuana use and later opioid misuse remained significant even after adjusting for factors like poverty, other illicit drug use, and mental health issue
There is a clear connection:
If we can prevent youth from using cannabis products (THC), we can keep more young people from using opioids.
Johnny’s Ambassadors evidence-based programs aren’t a “one time” event – we offer a full wrap-around curriculum with expert medical faculty, classroom resources for teachers and teens, online curriculums, community webinars, and support resources for parents at no extra charge. Contact [email protected] today to discuss your fall events.