According to the most recent data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), some 21.4 million Americans admit to using cannabis frequently, surpassing the numbers reported for tobacco and alcohol under the same metric.

Thus, daily or almost daily consumption of marijuana has officially surpassed that of alcohol and cigarettes in the United States, consolidating a historic change in substance consumption habits, reports Fox News Digital.

The increase coincides with the expansion of cannabis legalization in several states and a change in public perception about its use.

Daily consumption figures

The crossover in trends reflects the impact of cannabis legalization policies and greater awareness of the risks of tobacco and alcohol. The distribution of habitual consumers (those who consume 20 days or more in a period of 30 days) is divided as follows:

Evolution of the trend change

The first milestone (2022). Daily marijuana consumption exceeded that of alcohol for the first time. An analysis published in the scientific journal Addiction reported that in that year there were 17.7 million daily cannabis users compared to 14.7 million alcohol users. Frequent marijuana use increased 269% between 2008 and 2022.

The second milestone. Federal surveys confirmed that the trend accelerated, causing marijuana to also surpass tobacco in daily use. This is largely attributed to the historic decline in traditional cigarette consumption.

General prevalence. Although marijuana leads in frequent or daily consumption, alcohol continues to be the most consumed substance globally if occasional or social use (weekends) is taken into account.

Important consideration

Medical specialists from institutions such as Fox News Health and Yale University warn that this phenomenon should not be a cause for celebration.

The pattern of daily use is closely linked to the development of psychophysical dependence. Likewise, they warn that the public perception that cannabis is “harmless” has overshadowed real risks, such as the increase in anxiety disorders, effects on brain development in young people and cardiovascular complications derived from chronic consumption.

Consequences of daily consumption

Daily cannabis use can increase the risk of long-term mental health problems, especially if it begins in adolescence or if there is a personal or family predisposition. The most notable consequences are psychosis/schizophrenia, anxiety, depression, memory and learning problems, and dependency.

Most likely effects

Who is more at risk

The risk increases more when consumption is daily, when it begins before the age of 18, when the product has high THC and when there is personal or family vulnerability to mental disorders. In people with a history of psychosis, bipolarity or depression, cannabis can worsen the course of the disease.

When to ask for help

It is advisable to seek professional help if paranoia, hallucinations, panic attacks, very low mood, loss of motivation or difficulty quitting appear. If you want, I can help you distinguish between use effects, withdrawal effects, and warning signs.

You may also be interested in:

Careful! Older adults who take 5 or more prescription medications have a higher risk of deathStudy reveals that economic difficulties can accelerate brain agingIt's not an allergy, it's an intolerance!: how to know if you suffer from it when faced with certain foods

This news has been tken from authentic news syndicates and agencies and only the wordings has been changed keeping the menaing intact. We have not done personal research yet and do not guarantee the complete genuinity and request you to verify from other sources too.