Gallup Poll: 50% Americans Have Tried Cannabis 

According to a new Gallup poll on cannabis, 50% of Americans have tried cannabis. More people are smoking cannabis than cigarettes, with 17% (or one in six Americans) being regular consumers of the herb.

Three in four Americans are concerned about its effects on young adults and teenage consumers.

This new Gallup poll on cannabis is an increase from previous years, where cannabis use has more or less remained unchained. Between 2017 and 2019, only 45% of Americans had tried cannabis.

Even regular consumers of cannabis have increased from the 16% recorded a year ago.

The new Gallup poll on cannabis stems from their annual Consumption Habits survey, conducted July 3-27.

Gallup Poll on Cannabis 

Gallup first asked Americans if they smoked cannabis in 2013, and 7% admitted they did. However, Gallup has been tracking cannabis consumption trends since 1969.

Between 1969 and 1977, cannabis-consuming Americans jumped from 4% of the population to 24%. It rose to 33% by 1985 but stalled around 40% until 2015 when it peaked at 44%.

Between 2015 and 2021, American cannabis use has maintained its 45-49% window. But over this same period, states have legalized cannabis within their borders.

Likewise, Gallup has tracked U.S. public support for cannabis legalization, which has grown from 12% in favor back in 1969 to 68% today.

Of course, this Gallup poll on cannabis is handicapped by one major factor: they’re asking consumers about smoking. While flower is king in the world of cannabis, a 2019 study on cannabis consumers found a significant minority primarily used edibles, vapes, or concentrates.

Regardless of age, sex, and education levels, the consumption numbers are similar. Whether you’re in the 18-34 age group, 35-54, or 55+, college-educated or not, cannabis consumption rates hover around 50%.

Men are more likely to have tried cannabis (54 percent) than women (44 percent). Democrats and independents are more likely to be consumers (57% and 52%, respectively) versus 39% of Republicans.

Gallup Poll on Young People

As in past Gallup polls on cannabis, current use is the highest among adults aged 18 to 34. This group is more than three times more likely to use cannabis regularly than adults aged 55 or older.

According to the Gallup poll, a majority of Americans are “not too” or “not at all concerned” about cannabis’ effects on adults.

Only 19% are “very” concerned. Which follows the 80/20 rule. 80% of the country has a live-and-let-live attitude concerning cannabis. 20% are busybodies that want to control your consumption choices.

Nevertheless, 3 in 4 Americans are “very” (40%) or “somewhat” (35%) concerned about cannabis’ effects on the brains of young adults or teens who are regular users.

Gallup figures this concern stems from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warnings. The CDC pushes propaganda that cannabis has negative effects on developing brains.

Regardless of whether this is true, the CDC (or anyone else studying the topic) has not demonstrated how or why this “damage” is irreversible. Nor have they established a causal relationship between cannabis use and poor “mental” health.

The fact that 3 in 4 Americans are concerned about young people and cannabis is a reflection of propaganda than any underlying reality.

Suppose you polled Americans during 2020-21. You might have found 3 in 4 Americans supported community masking, despite no scientific evidence supporting the claims made by mask fanatics.

US Legalization When?

This new Gallup poll on cannabis isn’t insignificant. The fact that 50% of Americans have tried cannabis and are admitting to it is no small feat.

U.S. federal cannabis legalization can’t be far behind. Despite claims that the Biden administration will reschedule the herb later this year, it’s also possible that, with 50% of the country already having tried it, the Democrats will campaign in 2024 on full-scale legalization.

This was how Canada legalized cannabis. Justin Trudeau saw that most Canadians supported it and had even tried it. But they were concerned about the “young people.”

So the federal government legalized, milking the support of the legacy growers in British Columbia. Once in power, concerns about young people justified a corporate cartel and government monopoly wholesalers.

State-centric cannabis companies may want federal legalization to resolve banking and trade issues. But with D.C. come the predatory vultures. It’s a double-edged sword.

Suppose the new Gallup poll on cannabis asked about crony capitalism in the cannabis industry. They may have found a substantial majority “very concerned” about it.