Daily Marijuana Use Surpasses Daily Drinking in America
It is now official. Daily weed use in America has now surpassed daily drinking. Here is a look at the stats, why this is happening, and why some health experts are concerned.
Daily Marijuana Use Eclipses Daily Alcohol Use
Marijuana has taken over the top spot for the most-used daily drug in the U.S. Fresh data from the 2025 National Survey on Drug Use and Health out of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recently revealed that there are 21.4 million daily or almost-daily marijuana users in the U.S.
This figure eclipses the 19.9 million people who smoke cigarettes almost daily and the 17.2 million who consume alcohol. The data revelation marks a major milestone in the U.S. as more and more Americans turn to marijuana as their drug of choice.
The annual federal survey includes respondents ages 12 and older. The survey defines daily or near-daily use as 300 or more days in the last year. Daily cigarette smokers were defined as those who smoked on all days of the past month.
The latest data reflects a continuation of the trend of growing marijuana use. For example, the number of Americans using marijuana daily or almost daily increased approximately 21% between 2022 and 2025, going from 17.7 million to 21.4 million. The most significant increase happened between 2021 and 2022, as about 2.8 million users began leaning on the daily use of marijuana.
What may be surprising to some is that the trend of more marijuana users is largely driven by adults ages 26 and older. It is not the teenage population that is leading to the increase in users.
Diving deeper into the data, the number of adults ages 18 and older who reported daily or near-daily marijuana use rose about 22%, going from 17.2 million to 20.9 million. This data makes marijuana the most commonly used substance on a daily basis. However, alcohol is still the most commonly used substance overall. The study reported that roughly 129 million people reported drinking alcohol over the last month, compared to 43.8 million who used marijuana.
The good news for public health officials is that cigarette and overall tobacco use continues to plummet. The use of tobacco products fell from 20.1% of Americans in 2021 to just 15.9% in 2025. Conversely, general marijuana use jumped from 13.2% to 15.1% over the same time period.
Why Americans Are Turning to Marijuana With Greater Frequency
It is clear that the increased use of marijuana is tied to more states legalizing the drug for recreational use. Not only does this take away the legal hurdles, but it also negates some of the stigma that had been previously associated with the use of the drug.
A report by San Francisco-based workplace mental health platform Modern Health noted that there has been a significant increase in people turning to THC and marijuana products as a way to manage stress. The April 2026 survey of 1,000 full-time employees showed that 63% of the workforce leaned on at least one type of self-medication after the workday. More concerning was the revelation that 52% reportedly self-medicated during the workday.
Gen Z is distinguished as the only generation of workers that uses THC more than alcohol after work. The report indicated that 59% of this age group, defined as people born between the years 1997 and 2012, used marijuana products after their work shift. In addition, 51% of this generation reported using THC during the workday.
While health experts are naturally encouraged that cigarette use is falling, some doctors are concerned that replacing tobacco with marijuana is not a good trend. According to Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel, the SAMHSA data reflects what he called a "very disturbing trend." Siegel said that "Too much attention has been put on the bogus or exaggerated uses of marijuana for pain, insomnia and anxiety, when in fact it increases anxiety exponentially, especially in those with underlying mental health issues."
In addition, Siegel noted that "Too little attention has been paid to the growing THC content in all cannabis products, which makes it far more dangerous in terms of mental performance, judgement, memory and all forms of impairment." For instance, THC has been connected with an increase in fatal motor vehicle accidents as people erroneously see it as a safer option than alcohol.
Siegel expressed his concern that the increase in marijuana use at the same time that cigarette and alcohol use is declining is "directly due to lack of awareness of all the dangers of marijuana versus an increased awareness of all the dangers of cigarettes and alcohol." In other words, Americans are simply replacing one bad habit with another.
Curious for more stories that keep you informed and entertained? From the latest headlines to everyday insights, YourLifeBuzz has more to explore. Dive into what's next.