Marijuana Use Among Americans Has More Than Doubled Since 2013: Gallup

Marijuana

Gallup reports the percentage adults in the U.S. who say they smoke marijuana has more than doubled since 2013.

Gallup has tracked marijuana use for more than a decade. The latest data released this month shows:

  • Marijuana use has risen from 7% of U.S. adults in 2013 to 15% in 2024.
  • Men are more likely than women to say they smoke marijuana.
  • Democrats (23%) are more than twice as likely as Republicans (10%) to report using marijuana.
  • Regionally, the highest rates of marijuana usage are in the West (19%), Midwest (16%) and East (16%). Marijuana use is lower in the South, where 11% report using it.

The increase in marijuana use is troubling, given how research continues to show that marijuana is both addictive and harmful.

A study published in JAMA Otolaryngology found daily marijuana use is linked to a higher risk of head and neck cancers.

Marijuana can damage adolescent brains — resulting in permanent loss in IQ, difficulty thinking and problem-solving, reduced coordination, and increased risk of psychosis.

A large study published in February found marijuana use is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular problems. Another study published last year found heavy users faced about 60% higher risk of heart attack, stroke, or other cardiovascular problems.

The list goes on.

As marijuana use increases in America, people need to understand: Marijuana may be many things, but “harmless” simply is not one of them.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Black Market Marijuana Still a Problem in California Despite Legalization

Marijuana

Black market marijuana continues to plague California despite legalization.

California’s Unified Cannabis Enforcement Task Force has seized more than $191 million worth of illicit marijuana across the state this year. Recent news reports show authorities have raided 31 illegal grow sites in one county alone.

In September law enforcement in California seized more than 36,000 illegal marijuana plants in a single drug bust.

Contrary to popular belief, legalization of marijuana has actually emboldened drug cartels and fueled the black market.

News outlets report Chinese organized crime is dominating black market marijuana in states where marijuana is legal.

CNN writes that “illegal pot production . . . provides a glimpse of a hidden world – one that mirrors a trend playing out not only in California, but in states such as Oklahoma, Oregon, New Mexico and Maine: groups of people with apparent ties to foreign countries – most notably China – producing weed in colossal volumes.”

Earlier this summer, NPR reported how immigrants from China were illegally crossing America’s southern border, saying that “many [of these immigrants] are taking jobs at hundreds of cannabis farms springing up across the U.S.”

A CBS News segment last year highlighted how Chinese investment is driving illegal marijuana production across the U.S.

CBN reported last year that Chinese investors with “suitcases full of cash” are buying U.S. farmland to grow black market marijuana.

Other correspondents have reported how these illegal marijuana operations contribute to “modern day slavery on American soil.”

Illegal marijuana produced in states like California and Oklahoma appears to be making its way into states like Arkansas.

All of this simply underscores what we have said for years: Marijuana may be many things, but “harmless” simply is not one of them.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Experts Warn Marijuana “Comes With Big Health Risks”

Marijuana

Last week Psychology Today published an article highlighting the “big health risks” associated with marijuana use.

Among other things, the article noted:

  • Young adults and teens can develop an addiction to weed and become psychotic.
  • Many people don’t know that regular marijuana use may carry serious health risks, especially for the young.
  • No medication is FDA-approved for treating cannabis use disorder.
  • One cannabis-induced psychotic episode ups the risk of developing bipolar disorder or schizophrenia by 50%.

A growing body of research shows marijuana is dangerous.

For example, marijuana can damage adolescent brains — resulting in permanent loss in IQ, difficulty thinking and problem-solving, reduced coordination, and increased risk of psychosis.

A report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that states that legalized commercial marijuana sales saw self-harm rates rise by 46% among men ages 21 to 39.

We have also written time and again about how marijuana’s legalization in other states has actually emboldened drug cartels and organized crime.

Some of these illegal marijuana operations are tied to labor trafficking and violent crime, and some have connections to foreign interests like the Chinese Communist Party.

A CBS News segment last year highlighted how Chinese investment is driving illegal marijuana production across the U.S.

CBN reported last year that Chinese investors with “suitcases full of cash” are buying U.S. farmland to grow black market marijuana.

Other correspondents have reported how these illegal marijuana operations contribute to “modern day slavery on American soil.”

All of this simply underscores what we have said for years: Marijuana may be many things, but “harmless” simply is not one of them.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

READ MORE