More Americans say they use marijuana daily or almost daily than those who drink alcohol at similar levels, according to a new study.
Researchers found that while alcohol is still used more widely, intensive marijuana use is now more common than high-frequency alcohol use, PBS NewsHour reports.
“A good 40% of current cannabis users are using it daily or near daily, a pattern that is more associated with tobacco use than typical alcohol use,” said lead researcher Jonathan Caulkins, a cannabis policy researcher at Carnegie Mellon University. The findings are based on data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
An estimated 17.7 million people used marijuana daily or almost daily in 2022, compared with 14.7 million people who used alcohol daily or almost daily.