More Americans Now Use Marijuana than Cigarettes
New survey data shows marijuana use has surpassed cigarette use in America, and the number of people who use marijuana daily is growing.
Marijuana has been legalized to varying degrees under different state laws, and the Trump Administration has eased federal restrictions on the drug. But while policymakers push for more marijuana, there is serious concern about the way Americans use it.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s newest survey on drug use shows that more Americans now use marijuana on a daily basis than smoke cigarettes. And while tobacco and alcohol use have declined since 2021, marijuana use has increased — especially among adults age 26 or older. Cannabis use disorder — a measure of dependence or addiction to marijuana — also increased.
All told, the survey estimates 61.6 million Americans used marijuana in the past year. About one-third of them — 21.4 million people — used marijuana either daily or almost daily. If these frequent users formed their own state, it would be roughly seven times the population of Arkansas.
Americans need to understand how serious our nation’s drug problem is when it comes to marijuana.
Earlier this year, the editorial board at The New York Times published a stunning column titled, “It’s Time for America to Admit That It Has a Marijuana Problem.” In it, the editors raised concerns about the rapid expansion of marijuana and marijuana use across the country.
Yale reports roughly 30% of current cannabis users now meet the criteria for addiction. Researchers writing in JAMA found nearly one in three “medical” marijuana users may suffer from cannabis use disorder.
THC — the main psychoactive substance in marijuana — has been tied to everything from heart disease and cancer to stroke, mental illness, and birth defects.
Researchers have found marijuana use doubles a person’s risk of death from heart disease.
And contrary to popular belief, legalization in other states has actually emboldened drug cartels and increased the flow of illegal drugs across the country.
These problems don’t just hurt marijuana users. They affect entire communities — including the people who never use marijuana or other drugs.
All of this 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.
Family Council Urges Arkansans to Contact U.S. Senate Regarding Drugs Made from Hemp
Family Council is asking Arkansans to email U.S. Senators John Boozman and Tom Cotton, and politely ask them and their colleagues in the Senate to keep the hemp loophole closed in federal law.
You can email Sen. Boozman here.
You can email Sen. Cotton here.
In 2018, Congress passed the federal Agriculture Improvement Act legalizing industrial hemp that is low in THC.
THC is the main psychoactive drug in marijuana, and health experts warn the drug poses serious risks. The goal of the 2018 law was to let farmers grow low-THC cannabis plants for use in textiles like rope or cloth, but manufacturers found ways to extract and refine the THC in industrial hemp. Doing this on a commercial scale meant they could produce a lot of THC to infuse into drinks, candies, e-cigarettes, and other products.
In 2025, Congress closed the loophole in the industrial hemp law, and Arkansas has been able to keep these dangerous drugs out of our state. Now some lobbyists for the hemp industry want to reopen the loophole.
That is why we are urging all of our friends across Arkansas to contact Senators Boozman and Cotton and politely ask them to keep the hemp loophole closed in federal law.
Public health reports across America have shown drugs like the ones made from hemp have sent kids to the emergency room and prompted parents to call poison control centers.
Last year, the Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission tested 51 samples of industrial hemp flowers as part of the commission’s “Operation Clean Leaf” initiative. All 51 samples contained more THC than federal law allowed, and authorities said the vast majority of hemp products were sold without proper age verification. Some were even tainted with dangerous pesticides.
As we have said for years, drugs made from hemp 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.