More Americans are Snoop Dogg-in’ than drinking

Daily or near-daily marijuana use has surpassed daily or near-daily alcohol use in the US for the first time, according to the annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health published yesterday.

It’s been trending this way for a while

In 1992, the survey data showed ~10x as many daily or near-daily alcohol users as cannabis users (~8.9 million vs. ~900,000).

But the pot-laced winds of change started blowing. Between that point and 2022 (the most recent year data was collected), there was a 15x increase in the per capita rate of reporting daily or near-daily use of marijuana. Per the latest data, ~18 million Americans consumed cannabis daily or near-daily, vs. ~15 million who consumed alcohol at that same pace.

Between the lines: Far more people consume alcohol than cannabis – but high-frequency drinking is less common. In 2022, the median drinker reported imbibing on 4–5 days in the past month, versus 15–16 days in the past month for the median cannabis user.

Side effects: While the detrimental effects of heavy alcohol consumption have been known for a while, research shows high-frequency cannabis use also has its downsides – for instance, an increased risk of a heart attack, stroke, or psychosis.

🌿 Zoom out: Marijuana has now been legalized in 38 US states for either recreational or medical use, and, on a federal level, is like a rained-out baseball game – in the process of being rescheduled.