Daily marijuana use has overtaken daily alcohol consumption in the United States, according to data published in the Society for the Study of Addiction.
Researchers found that an estimated 17.7 million Americans reported using marijuana daily or nearly every day in 2022, compared to 14.7 million who said they consumed alcohol at the same frequency, according to the report, which was released on Wednesday.
These findings represent a significant change in American substance use habits and marks a substantial increase over the past three decades. In 1992, fewer than 1 million people reported consuming marijuana every day. This number has increased 15-fold, which has been attributed to growing public acceptance and legalization of the plant in several states.
Jonathan Caulkins, a cannabis policy researcher at Carnegie Mellon University, noted, “A good 40% of current cannabis users are using it daily or near daily, a pattern that is more associated with tobacco use than typical alcohol use.”
This revelation comes as more states are considering making the plant legal. “Most states now allow medical or recreational marijuana, though it remains illegal at the federal level,” according to the Associated Press. “Florida voters will decide on a constitutional amendment allowing recreational cannabis, and the federal government is moving to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug.”
New Hampshire’s State Senate recently voted in favor of legalizing cannabis.
For the first time ever, the New Hampshire Senate has approved a cannabis legalization bill! pic.twitter.com/uBxey9bEY6
— Marijuana Policy Project (@MarijuanaPolicy) May 17, 2024
The Biden administration recently announced its move to reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I to Schedule III substance. As part of the plan, the White House would issue pardons for even more individuals convicted at the federal level for simple possession. The proposal is going through a 60-day public comment period, but if it is enacted, it will reduce federal penalties associated with marijuana possession, according to ABC News.
