Daily marijuana use outpaces daily drinking in the US, a new study says

Carla K. Johnson, AP Medical Writer

(AP) — For nan first time, nan number of Americans who usage marijuana conscionable astir each time has surpassed nan number who portion that often, a displacement immoderate 40 years successful nan making arsenic recreational cookware usage became much mainstream and ineligible successful astir half of U.S. states.

In 2022, an estimated 17.7 cardinal group reported utilizing marijuana regular aliases near-daily compared to 14.7 cardinal regular aliases near-daily drinkers, according to an study of nationalist study data. In 1992, erstwhile regular cookware usage deed a debased point, little than 1 cardinal group said they utilized marijuana astir each day.

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Alcohol is still much wide used, but 2022 was nan first clip this intensive level of marijuana usage overtook regular and near-daily drinking, said nan study’s author, Jonathan Caulkins, a cannabis argumentation interrogator astatine Carnegie Mellon University.

“A bully 40% of existent cannabis users are utilizing it regular aliases adjacent daily, a shape that is much associated pinch baccy usage than emblematic intoxicant use,” Caulkins said.

The research, based connected information from nan National Survey connected Drug Use and Health, was published Wednesday successful nan diary Addiction. The study is simply a highly regarded root of self-reported estimates of tobacco, intoxicant and supplier usage successful nan United States.

From 1992 to 2022, nan per capita complaint of reporting regular aliases near-daily marijuana usage accrued 15-fold. Caulkins acknowledged successful nan study that group whitethorn beryllium much consenting to study marijuana usage arsenic nationalist acceptance grows, which could boost nan increase.

Most states now let aesculapian aliases recreational marijuana, though it remains forbidden astatine nan national level. In November, Florida voters will determine connected a law amendment allowing recreational cannabis, and nan national authorities is moving to reclassify marijuana arsenic a little vulnerable drug.

Research shows that high-frequency users are much apt to go addicted to marijuana, said Dr. David A. Gorelick, a psychiatry professor astatine nan University of Maryland School of Medicine, who was not progressive successful nan study.

The number of regular users suggests that much group are astatine consequence for processing problematic cannabis usage aliases addiction, Gorelick said.

“High wave usage besides increases nan consequence of processing cannabis-associated psychosis,” a terrible information wherever a personification loses touch pinch reality, he said.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from nan Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for each content.