by According to a recent analysis of national survey data, an increasing number of Americans report using marijuana daily or near-daily, surpassing those who consume alcohol at the same frequency. Although alcohol remains more widely used, this intensive level of marijuana use has for the first time surpassed high-frequency drinking, as per the study’s author, Jonathan Caulkins, a cannabis policy researcher at Carnegie Mellon University.
Approximately 40% of current cannabis users engage in daily or near-daily use, a pattern more akin to tobacco use than typical alcohol consumption, Caulkins explained. The research, published in the journal Addiction, is based on data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, a highly respected source of estimates on tobacco, alcohol, and drug use in the United States.
In 2022, an estimated 17.7 million individuals reported daily or near-daily Marijuana Cigarette use, compared to 14.7 million who reported the same for alcohol consumption. From 1992 to 2022, the per capita rate of reporting daily or near-daily marijuana use increased fifteen-fold.
The trend can be attributed to shifts in public policy. Most states now permit medical or recreational marijuana use, although it remains illegal at the federal level. In November, Florida voters will decide on a constitutional amendment allowing recreational cannabis, and the federal government is working on reclassifying marijuana as a less dangerous substance.
Research indicates that high-frequency marijuana users are more likely to develop addiction, according to Dr. David A. Gorelick, a psychiatry professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, who was not involved in the study. The growing number of daily users raises concerns about the potential for problematic cannabis use or addiction
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
