Marijuana Surpasses Tobacco in Popularity in the U.S. for the First Time
For the first time in the 53-year history of Gallup’s social surveys, marijuana has overtaken tobacco in popularity among Americans. About half of U.S. adults now have a positive attitude toward marijuana.
Record Number of Cannabis Users
According to Gallup’s research, in 1969, 40% of American adults smoked tobacco. By 1985, this figure had dropped to 35%, by 2013 to 19%, and in June 2022, it was just 10.7%. Over 53 years, the number of tobacco smokers in the U.S. has decreased nearly fourfold.
Meanwhile, the cannabis market has seen the opposite trend. From 2013 to 2022, the number of cannabis users increased by 129%—from 7% to 16%. Additionally, from 1969 to 2022, the percentage of Americans who have tried marijuana grew twelvefold, from 4% to 48%. Both of these numbers reached record highs in 2022.
Demographics of Marijuana Use
The highest number of marijuana users was recorded among young adults aged 18 to 34. In this group, 30% had used cannabis at least once in the past week, and 51% had tried marijuana at some point. Among Americans aged 55 and older, only 7% were current marijuana users, but 44% had tried it at least once.
In Europe, tobacco remained more popular than cannabis in 2021. Last year’s survey showed that among Europeans who used psychoactive substances, 94% consumed alcohol, 93% used cannabis, and 84% used tobacco.
Alcohol Considered More Harmful Than Marijuana
The June 2022 survey results indicate a fairly favorable attitude toward marijuana in American society:
- 53% of respondents believe cannabis has a positive effect on users, while 45% think it has a negative effect;
- 49% are convinced that marijuana use positively impacts society, while 50% believe the impact is negative.
Far more Americans believe alcohol is harmful. 71% said alcohol consumption negatively affects individuals, and 75% think it has a negative impact on society as a whole.
Despite these views, marijuana remains classified as one of the most dangerous and addictive drugs in the U.S. Alcohol, on the other hand, is not prohibited by the government. According to current federal law, cannabis is considered to have no medical value. However, marijuana is successfully used for medical purposes in 38 U.S. states and dozens of other countries, including Germany, Australia, and Israel.