Who smokes weed in the US? Here’s a breakdown

If you’re at a Pink Floyd light show, chances are the person next to you is high. But what if you’re in a grocery store, or waiting in procession for your college certificate, or in a voting booth?

Marijuana users come in all forms. They don’t all look the same, especially in today’s world where cannabis is much less associated with the burnout stigma it hung on during the War on Drugs era.

In fact, there really is no “type” of marijuana user, at least not according to recent studies. Usage has increased across many categories, from baby boomers to young women. As many states and corporations relax laws and policies on workplace drug testing, the likelihood that your co-worker is a cannabis enthusiast may also have increased significantly.

As this landscape of marijuana users continues to change, here are some interesting insights into exactly who is smoking marijuana these days.

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No, cannabis users are not lazy stoners

The notion that cannabis users are unmotivated high school dropouts is a cliché that’s disappearing, largely due to the fact that it’s simply not true. According to the latest Gallup poll, both college grads and those without a college degree smoke weed in similar numbers. According to that opinion poll12% of college graduates report using marijuana, while 18% of non-graduates report using marijuana.

RELATED: Does Science Support the ‘Lazy Stoner’ Stereotype? Here’s what a new study found

Authors of a June 2021 study wrote, “Marijuana users exercise as well or better than non-users,” adding, “The commonly held perception that marijuana users are largely sedentary is not supported by this data on young people.” supported middle-aged adults.”

So the notion that cannabis loses ambition isn’t exactly a valid argument.

Democrats are greener than Republicans for now

After the same Gallup opinion poll, 20% of Democrats smoke marijuana, while just 12% of Republicans say they do (with independent voters falling between the two at 17%). That statistic alone probably isn’t too surprising given how historically the Democrats in power have tended to support cannabis legalization.

However, Republicans and Republican lawmakers are beginning to move toward the idea of ​​cannabis legalization, suggesting that perhaps in the not-too-distant future, Republicans will use marijuana as heavily, or at least support it, as Democrats.

Several studies including a survey we recently conducted reported indicate growing support for cannabis legalization within the Republican Party. Republican candidates are currently backing and even drafting cannabis laws. That means people in some states can vote for a Republican and legalize cannabis at the same time. The times have changed.

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The use of baby boomer pot is booming

It may have taken several decades, legalization and a change in the general societal view of marijuana, but it seems like baby boomers are finally starting to embrace cannabis use in their golden years.

“Consider that not even 10 years ago, 0.4% of adults over the age of 65 reported using marijuana in the past year, and now it’s 10 times that amount at 4%.” Benjamin Han, a professor at the NYU School of Medicine said Reuters in 2020. Han was also the lead author of a study conducted by He mentioned JAMA Internal Medicine, which discovered this increased cannabis use. While this group still doesn’t use marijuana nearly as much as younger generations, this increase means there may be fewer generational walls when it comes to marijuana use than some might think.

The future of cannabis is female

While many populations have shown increases in cannabis use, none has skyrocketed recently as much as Gen Z women Fastest compared to any other cohort at 151%.” reported NBC News.

RELATED: Why the future of cannabis is female

There are many possible reasons for this large spike. Some reasons include the ease and welcoming atmosphere of cannabis retail establishments, and also the growing interest in using low-dose marijuana to treat anxiety and other conditions instead of prescriptions. “The future of cannabis is female,” said Bethany Gomez, chief executive officer of Brightfield Group.