[REVISION HISTORY]

US cannabis use reaches record highs amid declining alcohol/

Updated 5 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-08-24 21:28 UTC → 2026-08-28 16:38 UTC · added ~~removed~~

US ~~daily~~ cannabis use ~~overtakes alcohol and cigarettes~~ reaches record highs amid declining alcohol/

Federal data from the 2025 National Survey on Drug Use and ~~Health, released by SAMHSA,~~ Health shows that approximately 21.4 million Americans aged 12 or older use cannabis daily or ~~near-daily. This surpasses the frequency of~~ near-daily, surpassing daily cigarette smokers (19.9 million) and daily alcohol consumers (17.2 million). Daily cannabis use first surpassed daily drinking in 2022, reflecting a 22% increase since 2021. Usage patterns show that cannabis use is increasingly common among adults aged 26 and over, with rising prevalence in the 30s, 40s, and 50s. The 18-25 age group remains a high-prevalence cohort, accounting for approximately 33.7% of users. Conversely, teen use continues to decline. Recent Gallup polling ~~further indicates~~ confirms that marijuana use among U.S. adults has reached a record high of 17%, matching the 2023 ~~peak, while~~ peak and representing more than double the 7% usage rate reported in 2013. When including edibles, an additional 15% of adults report consumption. This trend coincides with significant declines in other substances: cigarette smoking has hit a record low of 11%. Expanding legal access—with 41 states allowing medical marijuana and 24 permitting recreational use—coincides with rising health concerns. Public health experts have noted increasing THC potency 11%, and alcohol consumption has reached a roughly 16% increase in emergency room visits for cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) between October 2025 and May 2026. Researchers suggest younger users, particularly Generation Z, are increasingly using THC record low, with 54% of adults reporting they drink. While usage is most prevalent among adults aged 18 to ~~self-medicate for mental health conditions like anxiety~~ 49, SAMHSA reports a complex picture regarding substance use disorders. Despite rising prevalence and ~~depression, potentially driven~~ expanded legalization, the share of substance use treatment admissions where marijuana is the primary substance has fallen by ~~economic uncertainty and social media usage.~~ approximately 20% since 2020. SAMHSA notes that these treatment admission figures do not directly measure the overall prevalence of marijuana use or use disorders in the general population. Public opinion remains divided, with 47% of respondents viewing the drug’s impact as positive and 46% viewing it as negative.

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