Marijuana Use in the United States: An Analysis of 2021-2022 Data
Addiction Data, Cannabis
Introduction
Marijuana use has been a topic of significant discussion in recent years, with various states enacting different policies regarding its legalization and use. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has provided detailed data on marijuana use across different age groups and states for the years 2021 and 2022. This article delves into the key findings from this data, highlighting regional differences and age group trends.
Nationwide Overview: How Many People Use Marijuana in the US
The data reveals that in the past year, approximately 57.54 million people aged 12 or older in the United States used marijuana. The majority of these users are aged 26 and older, accounting for about 41.93 million users. The 18-25 age group follows with approximately 12.72 million users, and the 12-17 age group has about 2.90 million users.
| State | Age: 12+ | Age: [12-17] | Age: [18-25] | Age: 18+ | Age: 26+ |
| Total U.S. | 57,540,000 | 2,896,000 | 12,716,000 | 54,644,000 | 41,928,000 |
| South | 18,292,000 | 1,012,000 | 4,212,000 | 17,281,000 | 13,069,000 |
| West | 16,046,000 | 774,000 | 3,384,000 | 15,272,000 | 11,889,000 |
| Midwest | 12,400,000 | 635,000 | 2,802,000 | 11,765,000 | 8,963,000 |
| Northeast | 10,801,000 | 475,000 | 2,318,000 | 10,326,000 | 8,008,000 |
| California | 7,558,000 | 362,000 | 1,632,000 | 7,196,000 | 5,564,000 |
| New York | 3,749,000 | 165,000 | 760,000 | 3,583,000 | 2,824,000 |
| Texas | 3,613,000 | 229,000 | 957,000 | 3,384,000 | 2,427,000 |
| Florida | 3,261,000 | 157,000 | 674,000 | 3,104,000 | 2,430,000 |
| Illinois | 2,390,000 | 116,000 | 477,000 | 2,274,000 | 1,797,000 |
| Michigan | 2,196,000 | 97,000 | 465,000 | 2,099,000 | 1,634,000 |
| Ohio | 2,137,000 | 114,000 | 461,000 | 2,023,000 | 1,563,000 |
| Pennsylvania | 2,131,000 | 100,000 | 452,000 | 2,031,000 | 1,578,000 |
| Washington | 1,915,000 | 73,000 | 328,000 | 1,842,000 | 1,514,000 |
| Massachusetts | 1,721,000 | 63,000 | 378,000 | 1,658,000 | 1,280,000 |
| Georgia | 1,595,000 | 94,000 | 367,000 | 1,501,000 | 1,135,000 |
| New Jersey | 1,529,000 | 80,000 | 354,000 | 1,449,000 | 1,095,000 |
| Arizona | 1,489,000 | 80,000 | 372,000 | 1,409,000 | 1,037,000 |
| North Carolina | 1,415,000 | 73,000 | 315,000 | 1,341,000 | 1,027,000 |
| Virginia | 1,409,000 | 72,000 | 322,000 | 1,336,000 | 1,015,000 |
| Colorado | 1,315,000 | 64,000 | 285,000 | 1,251,000 | 965,000 |
| Missouri | 1,177,000 | 59,000 | 243,000 | 1,118,000 | 876,000 |
| Oregon | 1,144,000 | 43,000 | 212,000 | 1,101,000 | 889,000 |
| Indiana | 1,064,000 | 58,000 | 280,000 | 1,006,000 | 726,000 |
| Minnesota | 1,057,000 | 50,000 | 258,000 | 1,007,000 | 749,000 |
| Tennessee | 1,044,000 | 58,000 | 230,000 | 986,000 | 757,000 |
| Maryland | 1,020,000 | 46,000 | 233,000 | 974,000 | 741,000 |
| Wisconsin | 946,000 | 55,000 | 248,000 | 891,000 | 643,000 |
| Oklahoma | 823,000 | 41,000 | 169,000 | 781,000 | 612,000 |
| Nevada | 757,000 | 39,000 | 127,000 | 718,000 | 592,000 |
| Louisiana | 755,000 | 48,000 | 161,000 | 707,000 | 546,000 |
| South Carolina | 730,000 | 45,000 | 172,000 | 685,000 | 513,000 |
| Connecticut | 687,000 | 32,000 | 162,000 | 655,000 | 493,000 |
| Kentucky | 611,000 | 32,000 | 145,000 | 579,000 | 434,000 |
| Alabama | 573,000 | 36,000 | 136,000 | 537,000 | 401,000 |
| Iowa | 486,000 | 28,000 | 123,000 | 458,000 | 335,000 |
| New Mexico | 479,000 | 33,000 | 99,000 | 446,000 | 347,000 |
| Kansas | 452,000 | 26,000 | 116,000 | 427,000 | 310,000 |
| Arkansas | 429,000 | 28,000 | 96,000 | 401,000 | 306,000 |
| Utah | 387,000 | 23,000 | 112,000 | 364,000 | 252,000 |
| Mississippi | 376,000 | 26,000 | 98,000 | 350,000 | 252,000 |
| Maine | 314,000 | 11,000 | 58,000 | 303,000 | 245,000 |
| West Virginia | 283,000 | 14,000 | 60,000 | 268,000 | 208,000 |
| Idaho | 281,000 | 20,000 | 70,000 | 261,000 | 191,000 |
| Nebraska | 258,000 | 18,000 | 68,000 | 240,000 | 172,000 |
| Montana | 243,000 | 10,000 | 55,000 | 232,000 | 177,000 |
| Rhode Island | 242,000 | 9,000 | 58,000 | 234,000 | 175,000 |
| New Hampshire | 241,000 | 9,000 | 56,000 | 232,000 | 175,000 |
Regional Analysis
Breaking down the data by regions provides a clearer picture of marijuana use across the country:
- South: The South has the highest number of marijuana users, with approximately 18.29 million users aged 12 and older. This region also has the highest number of users in the 26+ age group (13.07 million).
- West: The West follows closely with 16.05 million users aged 12 and older. Notably, this region has a significant number of users in the 26+ age group (11.89 million) and the highest percentage of users aged 18-25 (3.38 million).
- Midwest: The Midwest has around 12.40 million users aged 12 and older. The majority of these users are also in the 26+ age group (8.96 million).
- Northeast: The Northeast has the lowest number of marijuana users, with approximately 10.80 million users aged 12 and older. This region shows a similar trend, with the 26+ age group being the largest (8.00 million).
Age Group Trends
The data indicates that marijuana use is most prevalent among individuals aged 26 and older across all regions. This could be attributed to several factors, including longer exposure and availability, and perhaps less stigma associated with its use among older age groups.
- 12-17 Age Group: This age group has the lowest number of users, which is positive from a public health perspective as early use can lead to more severe consequences.
- 18-25 Age Group: This group shows a significant number of users, particularly in the West. This age group is often associated with higher experimentation and social use.
- 26+ Age Group: The largest user group, indicating sustained use into adulthood.
State-Level Insights
While the data provides a comprehensive overview, state-level analysis could offer deeper insights. States with more progressive marijuana laws may show higher usage rates, reflecting the impact of legislation on user behavior.
Conclusion
The data from SAMHSA paints a detailed picture of marijuana use across the United States, highlighting significant regional and age group differences. These insights can inform policymakers, public health officials, and researchers as they navigate the evolving landscape of marijuana use and its implications.
