Study Finds Daily Marijuana Use Surpasses Daily Drinking in the US
A study has found that daily and near-daily marijuana use is now more common than similar levels of drinking in the US, according to an analysis of national survey data over four decades. The study's author, Jonathan Caulkins, a cannabis policy researcher at Carnegie Mellon University, revealed that 40% of current cannabis users are using it daily or near daily, a pattern more associated with tobacco use than typical alcohol use. This marks the first time that this intensive level of marijuana use has overtaken high-frequency drinking. The research, based on data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, was published in the journal Addiction.
In 2022, an estimated 17.7 million people used marijuana daily or near-daily, compared to 14.9 million daily drinkers. The trend reflects changes in public policy, with most states now allowing medical or recreational marijuana, although it remains illegal at the federal level. This shift in usage patterns highlights significant changes in public perception and regulatory approaches toward marijuana over the past few decades.
