In the Seattle-Tacoma, Portland, and San Francisco metro areas, more adults 18-and-older have used cannabis in the last 30 days than cigarettes, according to Nielsen data outlined by the Seattle Times.
In Portland, 20 percent of adults used cannabis over the 30 days compared to 19 percent who smoked cigarettes; those comparisons are 17 to 16 percent in Seattle and 16 percent to 13 percent in San Francisco.
In Denver, meanwhile, 19 percent said they had smoked cigarettes over the last 30 days, compared to 18 percent who had consumed cannabis. In Las Vegas, 23 percent said they had smoked cigarettes over the last 30 days, while 18 percent said they had used cannabis.
The American Lung Association told the Mercury Times that all types of smoke are “harmful to lung health.”
“Whether from burning wood, tobacco or marijuana, toxins and carcinogens are released from the combustion of materials. Smoke from marijuana combustion has been shown to contain many of the same toxins, irritants and carcinogens as tobacco smoke. Beyond just what’s in the smoke alone, marijuana is typically smoked differently than tobacco. Marijuana smokers tend to inhale more deeply and hold their breath longer than cigarette smokers, which leads to a greater exposure per breath to tar.” – AMA, to the Mercury Times
Nielsen surveyed more than 200,000 adults across the U.S. between January 2018 and May 2019 about their cannabis use, though they did not ask if the products had been obtained legally or illegally.
The survey also found that The Albuquerque-Santa Fe, New Mexico area has the highest number of cannabis users – 14 percent – for a metro area where it’s against the law; Spokane, Washington – where cannabis is legal – has a consumption rate of just 12 percent.
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