Cannabis And Hallucinogen Consumption Hit All Time Highs In 2023 While Tobacco And Alcohol Declined

Cannabis and hallucinogen consumption among U.S. adults maintained historically high levels in 2023, according to the latest findings from the University of Michigan's Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey.

The survey, which tracks substance use behaviors and attitudes, revealed that the prevalence of these substances among adults aged 19 to 50 showed little change from previous years, indicating sustained levels of use.

Cannabis And Hallucinogen Use At Record Highs

The MTF survey data highlighted that both cannabis and hallucinogen use continued to be prevalent among adults in 2023. Among young adults aged 19 to 30, approximately 42% reported using cannabis in the past year, with 29% indicating past-month use and 10% engaging in daily consumption.

In the midlife group aged 35 to 50, 29% reported past-year cannabis use with 19% and 8% reporting past-month and daily use, respectively. Similarly, hallucinogen use continued its upward trajectory, with 9% of young adults and 4% of midlife adults reporting use within the past year.

Read Also: Daily Cannabis Consumption Outpaces Daily Alcohol Use In The US For The First Time, New Study Shows

Gen Z And Millennials Use Less And Less Tobacco And Alcohol

In contrast to the rising trend in cannabis and hallucinogen consumption, the survey found that tobacco use remained at an all-time low across both age groups. Among adults aged 19 to 30, past-month and daily alcohol continued to decline, reaching levels not seen in over a decade. The trade off is viewed by some experts as positive due to the relatively lower harms of cannabis.

Binge drinking among this age group also hit an all-time low, reflecting a broader shift away from alcohol consumption.

However, among adults aged 35 to 50, binge drinking increased compared to five and ten years ago, highlighting a divergence in alcohol use patterns between younger and older adults.

Vaping Shows Continued Growth

Vaping, both nicotine and cannabis, continued to rise among young adults, with the 2023 survey reporting record-high levels. Nicotine vaping was reported by 25% of adults aged 19 to 30, which makes it the most vaped substance among this group. Meanwhile 22% reported cannabis vaping. For adults aged 35 to 50, the prevalence of vaping remained steady from the previous year, though long-term trends are still emerging due to the more recent addition of these questions to the survey.

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Gender & Cannabis Differences

One notable finding from the 2023 survey was the reversal of the gender gap in cannabis use among young adults.

For the first time, women aged 19 to 30 reported a higher prevalence of past-year cannabis use than men in the same age group. This contrasts with the midlife group, where men aged 35 to 50 continued to report higher cannabis use than women, consistent with trends observed over the past decade.

Public Health Implications

Megan Patrick, a research professor at the University of Michigan's Institute for Social Research and the principal investigator of the MTF panel study, commented on the importance of these findings for public health.

"Alcohol continues to be the most commonly used substance across age groups, followed by cannabis and nicotine," Patrick noted.

Although a recent study is stating otherwise, at least when it comes to daily use.

"The longer-term trends indicate that cannabis and psychedelic use have been increasing for both young adults and midlife adults, and vaping of nicotine and cannabis have increased among young adults. Some indicators of alcohol use have increased among midlife adults but decreased among young adults. Understanding these population-level patterns should inform our research and public health priorities," Patrick added.

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