Who consumes more weed, LGBTQ or straight?

Weed, alcohol, tobacco, all the vices that people indulge in. Big, small, black, white, left or right handed – it has mass appeal. But sometimes certain groups are more attracted to a vice. In general, men (16.7%) tend to use all tobacco products more frequently than women (13.6%). We know that men use weed more often than women. But who consumes more weed, LGBTQ or straight?

While most cannabis studies looking at people's consumption habits rely on self-reports and are not conducted in a controlled environment, several studies suggest that LGBTQ people have more positive attitudes toward the drug. A study published in the journal Psychology of Addictive Behaviors found that gay men smoked about four times more than straight men. Lesbian women smoked six times more than heterosexual women.

These findings are also reflected in the younger demographic, with youth belonging to the LGBTQ community more likely to use cannabis, but also more likely to use other substances such as alcohol and nicotine. LGBTQ young people face more stress than their straight counterparts, leading to higher rates of suicide, bullying and more.

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Photo by Stavrialena Gontzou via Unsplash

There are many reasons why these results could occur, but experts believe it has something to do with people belonging to the queer community having higher rates of anxiety and other mental health disorders.

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Perhaps members of the queer community find refuge in cannabis and use it as a source of relief. They are more likely to be exposed to the drug earlier and have less prejudice than others. Additionally, gays have children later than heterosexuals, giving them more time to research and use the drug.

More research is needed to draw any meaningful conclusions, but it's interesting to ask why the LGBTQ community seems to have such an affinity for the herb.