DENVER, Colorado – The landscape of substance use in the United States is shifting, with a notable milestone reached in 2022. For the first time, the number of Americans who use marijuana daily or nearly every day has eclipsed the number of daily drinkers. This significant shift reflects a 40-year evolution fueled by the mainstream acceptance and legalization of recreational marijuana in almost half of all U.S. states.
According to a recent analysis of national survey data, an estimated 17.7 million individuals reported using marijuana on a daily or near-daily basis, compared to 14.7 million who reported daily or near-daily alcohol consumption. The rise in daily marijuana use marks a stark contrast from 1992 when less than a million individuals reported such levels of usage.
While alcohol consumption remains more widespread overall, 2022 marked the first time that daily or near-daily marijuana use surpassed daily drinking. Jonathan Caulkins, a cannabis policy researcher at Carnegie Mellon University, notes that approximately 40% of current cannabis users engage in daily or near-daily consumption, a pattern more akin to tobacco use than traditional alcohol consumption.
The findings, derived from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, were published in the journal Addiction and shed light on evolving substance use trends in the U.S. over the past three decades. The study’s author, Caulkins, acknowledges that the increase in reported daily marijuana use may also be influenced by a growing societal acceptance of the substance.
Over the span of 30 years, the per capita rate of reporting daily or near-daily marijuana use experienced a notable 15-fold increase. The gradual normalizing of marijuana use is further evidenced by the expanding legality of medical and recreational marijuana in a majority of states, despite federal prohibition. This evolving landscape is underscored by ongoing debates around reclassifying marijuana at the federal level.
Dr. David A. Gorelick, a psychiatry professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, warns that high-frequency marijuana users are at increased risk of addiction and cannabis-associated psychosis. The growing number of daily users highlights the potential rise in problematic cannabis use and addiction within the population.
As societal attitudes and legal landscapes continue to shift, the prevalence of daily marijuana use in the U.S. presents new challenges and considerations in addressing substance use and addiction. The implications of this trend underscore the need for continued research and public health interventions to address the evolving nature of substance use habits in the country.