67% of physicians are now in favor of nationwide medical cannabis legalization, says a 2018 Medscape poll [8]. Analysts project that the number alcohol withdrawal of registered medical marijuana patients can go as high as 5.7 million by 2030. They would make up 2% of the country’s entire population [20].
These devices pull the active ingredients (including THC) from the marijuana and collect their vapor in a storage unit. The future of the country’s marijuana industry seems pretty rosy [20]. Edibles may have gained popularity during the pandemic. However, cannabis flowers still remained the popular choice. It made up 50% of the whole cannabis sales in January 2022 [20].
No medications are currently available to treat marijuana use disorder, but behavioral support has been shown to be effective. Examples include therapy and motivational incentives (providing rewards to patients who remain drug-free). Continuing research may lead to new medications that help ease withdrawal symptoms, block the effects of marijuana, and prevent relapse. The unregulated medical marijuana dispensary’s daily sales reach about $2,027 per day. While a psychotic reaction can occur following any method of use, emergency room responders have seen an increasing number of cases involving marijuana edibles. Some people (especially preteens and teens) who know very little about edibles don’t realize that it takes longer for the body to feel marijuana’s effects when eaten rather than smoked.
Other statistics that may interest you
So they consume more of the edible, trying to get high faster or thinking they haven’t taken enough. In addition, some babies and toddlers have been seriously ill after ingesting marijuana or marijuana edibles left around the house. Although these findings support the idea of marijuana addiction relapse as a “gateway drug,” the majority of people who use marijuana don’t go on to use other “harder” drugs. It’s also important to note that other factors besides biological mechanisms, such as a person’s social environment, are also critical in a person’s risk for drug use and addiction.
- We can expect the country’s legal marijuana industry to continue growing.
- California’s younger cannabis market quickly overtook Washington and Colorado’s more matured market.
- 23% of the regulated recreational and combo marijuana dispensary owners also find their businesses moderately profitable [16].
- However, this percentage has decreased from 2020’s 35.2% [21].
- Marijuana is widely accepted as being “less risky” than other substances like tobacco, alcohol, or painkillers.
Read more about marijuana as a gateway drug in our Marijuana Research Report. Of this percentage, 42% weaned themselves off of pharmaceutical medications. 38% say they reduced their intake of pharmaceutical drug use while being on medical cannabis [33]. This percentage is lower than the 2021 Pew Research Center survey. In their survey, 91% of American adults say they’re for the legalization of the herb [9]. This is a 50 percentage point increase from the 2010s 41% [23].
The illicit marijuana market is also thriving in states where weed is illegal. Texas spent as high as $6 billion on illicit marijuana in 2022, and North Carolina came in second at $3 billion [20]. 44% of American college students have used marijuana regularly in 2020.
Long-Term Effects
Marijuana may be considered “less harmful” due to the fact that there have been 0 marijuana-related overdoses ever reported, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The popularity of edibles also increases the chance of harmful reactions. Therefore, people may consume more to feel the effects faster, leading to dangerous results. The amount of THC in marijuana has been increasing steadily over the past few decades.7 For a person who’s new to marijuana use, this may mean exposure to higher THC levels with a greater chance of a harmful reaction. Higher THC levels may explain the rise in emergency room visits involving marijuana use. There are now more states with some form of legal marijuana than states where it’s fully illegal.
Studies show that 3,300 teens try weed for the first time every day, which showcases its distinct prevalence among youth. There are a number of new risks emerging in the community as marijuana becomes more and more popular, considering that marijuana is being introduced/exposed to individuals at increasingly younger ages. Many argue that smoking marijuana will lead to a future of substance abuse. The 2021 NSDUH national report includes selected estimates by race, ethnicity, and age group. It is the most comprehensive report on substance use and mental health indicators that SAMHSA has released to date. Virginia has the shortest legalization timeline of one year.
In all, 39 states have now legalized high-THC medical marijuana use. 19 states have legalized medical and recreational marijuana use. It took Massachusetts four years to legalize recreational marijuana use in 2016. It took the state 17 years to legalize recreational marijuana in 2016 [20]. Statistics related to marijuana use among the nation’s youth are some of the most noteworthy and perhaps the most concerning. Among all grades, disapproval of marijuana and perceptions of harm continue to decrease.
23% of the regulated recreational and combo marijuana dispensary owners also find their businesses moderately profitable [16]. 53% of the regulated medical cannabis dispensary owners say it’s very profitable, and so do 45% of the regulated recreational and combo marijuana dispensary owners. Of all the U.S. states, Washington has the highest excise tax rate on recreational weed at 37%. With the addition of other taxes, this goes up to 46.2% [34].
The state’s legal cannabis sales are only one-third of California’s at $1.7 billion in 2020 [1]. By 2021, its marijuana tax revenue is almost half of California’s at $630.9 million in 2021 [25]. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), released the results of the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).
Percentage of U.S. adults that have used cannabis within the past year in 2022, by state
Again, it’s the unregulated dispensaries that seem to suffer the most [16]. An equal percentage (29%) of both types of regulated dispensaries say they’re just breaking even [16]. On the other hand, unregulated dispensaries earn less. They may be serving a large client base, but they’re also competing with more dispensaries, which eats away at their share.
Mental Effects
On the other hand, Texas smokes the least weed at 12.81%, followed by South Dakota at 13.42% and Virginia at 13.82% [22]. The District of Columbia smokes the most weed at 30.81%. One factor that may have contributed to this increase is their reduced perception of marijuana’s risk of harm. Gen X (1965 to 1990) make up 49%, while the traditionalists (before 1946) make up the smallest percentage at 19% [12]. Of this percentage, millennials (1981 to 1996) make up the majority at 51%.
The state legalized marijuana for medical use in the past year (2020). It also legalized recreational marijuana by the next year (2021) [20]. 12% of the regulated medical cannabis dispensary owners say it’s moderately profitable.
This U.S. marijuana statistics report shows you how the cannabis landscape has changed over the years. A variety of information sources are available to monitor the prevalence and trends of marijuana use in the United States. The resources below cover a variety of marijuana-related issues, including data around usage, emergency department data, substance use and misuse data, policy measures, and other related tools. The rising popularity of marijuana can be attributed to its growing acceptability in modern society. Marijuana is widely accepted as being “less risky” than other substances like tobacco, alcohol, or painkillers.
It’s a significant increase from 2016’s 39% says NIDA’s 2020 drug use survey [28]. 10th graders ranked second in marijuana users at 17.3%, a decrease in percentage from the 2020s at 28% [21]. The 2021 report published on the National Institute on Drug Abuse website (NIDA) also notes that marijuana use clonidine withdrawal syndrome is highest among 12th graders at 30.5%. However, this percentage has decreased from 2020’s 35.2% [21]. Of these numbers, it’s the young people who tend to smoke weed more, with 20% of Millennials making up the majority. This is followed by 11% of the Gen Xers as well as 9% of the Baby Boomers [12].