Author: James Anderson

Marijuana Statistics in the US: Cannabis Use & Abuse 2024 Data Update

marijuana addiction statistics

13% use it for muscle spasms and 6.3% for severe nausea [18]. 4.4 million registered patients used medical marijuana in the U.S. in 2021. By the end of 2022, this will go up to an estimated 4.7 million [20]. 74%, 248 million, or nearly three-quarters of the United States 332.4 million population, now have access to some form of legal cannabis [19]. Again, it’s the unregulated dispensaries that seem to suffer the most [16].

It made up 50% of the whole cannabis sales in January 2022 [20]. Analysts project that the number 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]. 68% (17 in 25 Americans) believe that the federal government should legalize marijuana. On the other hand, unregulated dispensaries earn less.

marijuana addiction statistics

Cannabis stores that offered preorders enjoyed a 22% increase in sales. Those that didn’t offer the preorders failed to enjoy the same benefits. 9% of the regulated dispensaries are either losing some money or losing a lot of money [16]. By 2019, California’s $638.1 million tax revenue has overtaken Washington’s $477.3 million tax revenue [6] [25]. In 2020, California’s tax revenue breached the billion-dollar mark at $1.03 billion and $1.3 billion in 2021 [6].

Are there effects of inhaling secondhand marijuana smoke?

The number of medical and recreational cannabis consumers is expected to grow in the coming years. Support for marijuana legalization on a federal level has also increased. Over the years, marijuana legalization has become a hot topic of debate in U.S. politics. When it came to the question of recreational marijuana legalization, there was a division amongst individuals.

  1. An overdose occurs when a person uses enough of the drug to produce life-threatening symptoms or death.
  2. Among all grades, disapproval of marijuana and perceptions of harm continue to decrease.
  3. Read more about marijuana as a gateway drug in our Marijuana Research Report.
  4. The recreational weed market could grow double the medical cannabis industry’s at $41 billion and $17 billion, respectively [20].

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]. The 2021 NSDUH national report  includes selected estimates by race, ethnicity, and age group.

How Much is the Weed Industry Worth?

Before 2030, we’ll probably see nine more states legalizing adult-use marijuana. Nine more states might also legalize medical cannabis [20]. 44% of American adults also now have access to legal recreational weed [20]. Dispensaries that operate under a regulated legal weed market earn higher than unregulated dispensaries.

However, many states have already legalized the drug for recreational use. Currently, you can legally use marijuana recreationally in 18 states (36% of the nation). The rise of marijuana for medical use has contributed greatly to the increasing acceptance of the drug.

marijuana addiction statistics

2021 NSDUH report includes selected estimates by race, ethnicity, and age and is the most comprehensive key findings report to date. 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.

Is marijuana addictive?

It is the most comprehensive report on substance use and mental health indicators that SAMHSA has released to date. More research is needed to know if secondhand marijuana smoke has similar health risks as secondhand tobacco smoke. What they do know is that the toxins and tar found in marijuana smoke could affect vulnerable people, such as children or people with asthma. Virginia has the shortest legalization timeline of one year. The state legalized marijuana for medical use in the past year (2020).

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 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. Read more about marijuana as a gateway drug in our Marijuana Research Report.

What treatments are available for marijuana use disorder?

This gave rise to curbside pickups, drive-through options, and online preorders. Marijuana sales increased by 38% in several states in March 2020, compared to January’s first full week of the same year. Cannabis sales peaked by the end of August 2020, increasing by 59% compared to January 2020’s first week [27].

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. 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). Estimates from the 2021 NSDUH should not be compared with estimates from previous years because the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated methodological changes to the data collection process. Higher THC levels may also mean a greater risk for addiction if people are regularly exposing themselves to high doses.

The state with the lowest legal cannabis sales is Iowa, with $6 million. North Dakota with $13 million and Vermont with $14 million follow [1]. At 20%, it’s the millennials who smoke the most weed. They’re also the generation that consumes the most weed, making up 51% of the country’s cannabis consumers [12]. As for marijuana consumers, there had only been about 28 million marijuana users in 2012.

This transition occurred in 10th graders in 2014 and in 12th graders in 2015, reflecting a steep decline in daily cigarette use and fairly stable daily marijuana use.

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 is highest among 12th graders at 30.5%. However, this percentage has decreased from 2020’s 35.2% [21].