How Much Do Americans Spend on Marijuana?
The RAND Corporation published a report analyzing the consumption of four drugs—cocaine, heroin, marijuana, and methamphetamine—by Americans from 2006 to 2016. Researchers found that U.S. residents spent $52 billion on marijuana over this ten-year period.
The U.S. Drug Market Turnover
Americans have been using cocaine almost half as often as before. From 2006 to 2016, dealer revenues from cocaine dropped from $58 billion to $24 billion. However, spending on heroin, methamphetamine, and marijuana increased. The heroin market grew by 39% (from $31 billion to $43 billion), marijuana by 53% (from $34 billion to $52 billion), and methamphetamine by 23% (from $22 billion to $27 billion).
Despite these changes, the total revenue for drug dealers remained nearly the same. In 2006, they earned $145 billion, and in 2016, $146 billion. The lowest revenue was recorded in 2008 at $122 billion.
Drug Consumption Volumes in the U.S.
The United States saw a significant decrease in cocaine consumption—down 62% from 384 tons to 145 tons. However, other drug markets showed upward trends. In 2006, Americans bought 27 tons of heroin, which increased to 47 tons in 2016 (a 74% rise). Methamphetamine saw the fastest growth: over ten years, its market volume increased by 242% (from 50 to 171 tons). The lowest amount of cocaine was sold in 2010 (143 tons), and methamphetamine in 2008 (31 tons). The report did not estimate the volume of marijuana consumed.
Number of Drug Users and Marijuana Smokers
The number of drug users changed in line with sales volumes. The number of Americans abusing heroin increased by 43% (from 1.6 million to 2.3 million people). Methamphetamine addicts rose by 45% (from 2.2 million to 3.2 million). In 2006, 14.2 million Americans abused marijuana; by 2016, this number had grown to 22.8 million (a 61% increase). The number of cocaine addicts decreased by 39% (from 3.8 million to 2.3 million).
Number of Marijuana Users
From 2006 to 2016, the number of marijuana users increased by 32% (from 30.9 million to 45.6 million people). In 2016, most people (13.7 million) smoked marijuana rarely (a few times a year). Eleven million people used marijuana at least 21 days per month, 9.1 million used it less than four days per month, 6.5 million used it four to ten days per month, and the remaining 5.3 million used it 11 to 20 days per month.
The largest increase was among Americans who used marijuana at least 21 days per month. Their number nearly doubled—from 5.8 million to 11 million. Experts suggest this is due to a decrease in THC concentration in marijuana and a drop in product prices.