A recent study has revealed that the number of Americans who use cannabis on a daily or near-daily basis now exceeds those who consume alcohol with the same frequency.
This research, published in the journal Addiction, utilises data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health collected over the past four decades.
In 2022, the survey estimated 17.7 million daily cannabis users, surpassing the 14.7 million daily alcohol drinkers for the first time.
Although alcohol remains the more commonly used substance overall, the study found a significant increase in daily or near-daily cannabis use between 1992 and 2022, with a 15-fold rise in per capita rates.
In 1992, fewer than one million people reported using cannabis nearly every day, marking the lowest usage since the study began in 1979. The increase in reported cannabis use may also reflect growing public acceptance and changing legislation in the US.
Currently, recreational cannabis use is legal in 24 states and the District of Columbia, with 38 states permitting its medicinal use. Despite this, the federal government has not yet legalised or decriminalised cannabis nationwide.
However, a recent move by the justice department to reclassify cannabis from a Schedule I to a Schedule III controlled substance marks the most significant drug reform in over 50 years.
President Joe Biden commented, “Far too many lives have been upended because of our failed approach to marijuana.”
Research indicates that the notion of cannabis as a “gateway” drug is not supported by evidence, as most users do not progress to harder drugs.
Nevertheless, studies from the National Institute on Drug Abuse suggest that frequent use can lead to addiction.