"Daily Marijuana Use Surpasses Alcohol: Implications and Trends in American Substance Consumption"

A recent analysis based on nationwide survey data in the United States has revealed a significant shift: in 2022, the number of daily marijuana users surpassed that of daily alcohol drinkers for the first time. The study, utilizing statistics from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), was published in the American journal Addiction. It found that approximately 17.7 million Americans reported daily or near-daily marijuana use, compared to only 14.7 million who reported daily or near-daily alcohol consumption.

The term “daily or near-daily” (DND) refers to individuals who reported using either substance on 21 or more days in the past month. This marks the first time in NSDUH history that daily or near-daily marijuana use has exceeded that of alcohol. Jonathan Caulkins, a marijuana policy researcher at Carnegie Mellon University and one of the study’s authors, explains that while alcohol use is more widespread overall, approximately 40% of current marijuana users report daily or near-daily consumption, a pattern more akin to typical alcohol use than tobacco. The study found that in 1992, the number of Americans reporting daily or near-daily alcohol consumption was ten times higher than those reporting similar frequency of marijuana use, with fewer than one million reporting near-daily marijuana use. From 1992 to 2022, the proportion of Americans reporting daily or near-daily marijuana use increased fifteen-fold.

Changes in the number of people in the United States who report daily or near-daily drinking and marijuana use over the past 40 years

While the study did not attempt to establish causality between this phenomenon and policy changes, Caulkins suggests that the observed trends reflect shifts in policy over the past four decades. The end of conservative marijuana policies in the Reagan-Bush era in 1992 and the Justice Department’s clarification in 2009 that the federal government would not interfere with state-level marijuana legalization are highlighted as significant policy shifts.

However, Caulkins also notes that besides potential mutual influences between policy and drug use, other variables may affect data collection. For instance, as societal acceptance of marijuana increases, individuals may be more willing to report its use, potentially inflating reported marijuana use rates.

Currently, most states in the US allow for the medical or recreational use of marijuana, yet at the federal level, marijuana remains illegal. In November of this year, voters in Florida will decide on a constitutional amendment to allow marijuana for recreational use, while the federal government is also considering reclassifying marijuana as a less dangerous substance.

Dr. David Gorelick, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, highlights research indicating that frequent marijuana users are more susceptible to addiction and at greater risk of marijuana-related mental health issues. The rise in daily marijuana use suggests that more individuals may be at risk of problematic marijuana use or addiction. Additionally, he points out that frequent marijuana use increases the risk of developing marijuana-related psychiatric disorders.

This trend underscores the need for further research and attention to understand the potential impacts of increased marijuana use on both individual health and society as a whole.