Poll: Nearly Half of U.S. Adults Have Tried Cannabis

Nearly half of U.S. adults—49%—have tried cannabis, according to a Gallup poll, which also found 12% of U.S. adults use it regularly. It’s the highest level the polling company has ever reported for Americans that have tried cannabis since it started asking the question in 1970 when the level was 4%.

In 2019, the pollster found 45% of American adults had tried cannabis.

Nineteen percent of Americans born before 1945—called “traditionalists” have tried cannabis compared to 51% of millennials, 49% of Generation Xers, and half of baby boomers. Combined 2015-2021 data by Gallup shows 20% of millennials consume cannabis, along with 11% of Gen Xers, 9% of baby boomers, and 1% of traditionalists.

The pollster also found 16% of men are current cannabis users versus 9% of women. The consumption rate among political liberals polled is 22%, 15% among Democrats, 6% of conservatives, and 7% of Republicans. Just 3% of Americans who attend religious services consume cannabis, along with 6% of those who attend monthly; 19% of those polled who rarely or never attended religious services are cannabis consumers.

Fourteen percent of individuals with a four-year college degree or less are regular consumers, compared to 5% of those with postgraduate education, Gallup found.

Comparatively, a Gallup poll released last week found 16% of Americans smoked any cigarettes in the past week, while 6% said they had vaped in the last seven days.