3 vices Americans prefer to cannabis

As of July 2021, cannabis was legalized as a recreational drug in 18 states and medically legalized in 36 states and other territories, according to census data States where legalized cannabis accounts for a large part of the national population growth. That’s a lot of joints that get burned every day. But has cannabis become our nation’s number one vice? Data point on no.

When scrolling through social media or taking a trip to the big cities of a legal state, it’s easy to assume that everyone smokes cannabis for the benefit of other activities these days. But as it turns out, most people with legal access to cannabis are in no hurry to catch fire; a Gallup poll from 2019 only shows about 12% of Americans smoke cannabisbut it is not clear how often. And while new surveys point to certain demographics, like seniors, use it more and more often, it still follows a number of more harmful American pastimes.

drink alcohol

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RELATED: Marijuana will replace alcohol during the pandemic and may have long-term benefits

The United States ranks per capita 25th in alcohol consumption worldwide, and over 85% of American adults have consumed alcohol during their lifetime. While there is nothing wrong with having a glass of wine with dinner, an estimated 25% of adults drink binge drinks and up to 15 million Americans have an alcohol use disorder.

to smoke cigarettes

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Despite a downward trend around 14% of American adults smoke cigarettes regularly. Tobacco use is the leading case of “preventable disease, disability, and death” in the United States, according to the CDC. Smoking remains particularly prevalent among vulnerable populations such as indigenous communities, disabled people and people living below the poverty line.

Gambling

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All states except Utah and Hawaii allow some form of legal gambling, an industry that grossed over $ 43 billion Consumer spending in 2019 and 15 percent of Americans play weekly. National Council on Problem Gaming estimates two million American adults have a severe gambling problem with up to six million people having an impact as a result of their behavior.

RELATED: The majority of Americans believe marijuana is just as morally consumed as gambling

If you look at these numbers, maybe more people should Try cannabis. Compared to the other vices on this list, cannabis doesn’t cause or worsen disease, cause hangovers, and can’t empty your savings account in a jiffy. Stigma and lack of access clearly influence who is consuming, but times are changing.