Big new study shows weed is replacing alcohol as a daily substance
In the United States, regular cannabis use is on track to replace regular alcohol consumption in all age groups between 19 and 65 years old. Just in time for “Dry January,” a massive, authoritative study published Dec. 23 in the journal Addiction found that young adults (those…under 30) have given up regular alcohol consumption and have a drink instead. Generation X has corresponding cohorts of regular drinkers and smokers. And even pensioners are increasingly giving up Scotch for Indica.
Examining substance use trends in the United States
In the mid-20th century, about 10 percent of the country drank alcohol almost every day. In the 1980s and 1990s, there were far more drinkers than weed smokers. But as of 1996, voters approved medical cannabis in over 40 states and adult-use cannabis in 24 states. Cannabis has become increasingly accessible and popular.
To better understand these trends, Megan Patrick, a researcher at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, analyzed newly completed data from the Monitoring The Future Panel Study. Since 1976, the US has surveyed around 20,000 people aged 19 to 65 about their drug use.
The dataset is ideal for comparing drug trends for different age groups over time.
The survey adds a new cohort of 12th graders each year and surveys them every 2 years until age 30 and then every 5 years until age 65. In 2023, the first complete data set for the first cohort became available.
The dataset is ideal for comparing drug trends for different age groups over time. In total, Patrick's analysis included 389,649 responses from 1988 to 2023.
Young adults: There are now 3 to 1 more smokers than drinkers
After analyzing the data, Patrick's results paint a clear picture. Daily cannabis use is becoming more common, while daily alcohol consumption is declining. The change is more evident among younger generations. About one in ten young adults smokes weed regularly. In contrast, only one in 30 people drinks regularly.
In Patrick's analysis, someone was considered a daily or near-daily user of cannabis or alcohol if they used that substance more than 20 times per month.
In the 1980s, twice as many adults aged 19 to 30 drank alcohol almost daily as smokers. By 2010, these values had converged. Since 2011, cannabis has rapidly replaced daily alcohol consumption. In 2023, 10.4% of young adults used cannabis daily or almost daily, compared to just 3.6% for alcohol.
Middle-Aged Adults: The Faded Children
Middle-aged adults followed similar trends but began drinking at a much higher rate of daily or near-daily alcohol consumption compared to cannabis. In 2008, almost one in ten middle-aged adults drank daily or nearly daily. In contrast, perhaps one in 40 middle-aged adults smoked daily.
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Alcohol consumption also rose sharply during the pandemic among adults aged 35 to 50. But in recent years they have started drinking less. Meanwhile, cannabis use is rising among the generation.
Adults 55 to 65: Time is on the side of weeds
The oldest group in this study consisted of adults aged 55 to 65 years. In this group, daily or almost daily alcohol consumption continues to be higher (11.4%) than daily or almost daily cannabis use (5.2%).
But Patrick says “this could change in the coming years if trends continue.”
Younger adults already prefer cannabis to alcohol, and if the trend continues, seniors will also choose to smoke a vape rather than a beer on the golf course.
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