The United States Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration has observed that in the last 10 years, drug treatment admissions for the use of marijuana/pot has escalated significantly. Specifically, the study concluded that rates of admission for marijuana/pot abuse rose 30% in the nation with the highest admission rates in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania, as well as some other north-central states. The National Institute of Health contends that almost 1,000,000 people a year seeking treatment for marijuana/pot abuse.

It is said that this significant increase of marijuana/pot users admitted into a drug rehabilitation program is linked to the criminal justice system. It has been said that 40% of the drug treatment admissions in this country are precipitated by referrals from the criminal justice system. Interestingly, more than 40% of marijuana\ pot admittees have stated they did not use marijuana/pot within 30 days of their admissions and 16% said they used it three times or less in the same period of time.