Young Americans Far More Likely to Smoke Weed Than Cigarettes

A new survey analysis of Gallup’s latest poll data found that young Americans aged 18-29 are more than twice as likely to smoke cannabis than cigarettes, Marijuana Moment reports.

According to the analysis, the past-week smoking rate for cigarettes of Americans aged 18-29 dropped from 15% in 2016-2018 to just 12% in 2019-2022, a new low record, while cannabis consumption rates increased from 21% to 26% — also a new record — for the same group over the same timeframe.

On average, Gallup found that 27% of Americans either smoked cigarettes, used tobacco vapes/e-cigarettes, or smoked cannabis from 2019-2022. And of that segment, 7% of respondents smoked cannabis alone, 9% smoked just cigarettes, and 3% smoked only e-cigarettes.

But while young Americans were the most likely to be using smoking or vaping products of any variety, they were also the most likely to have opted for just using cannabis over tobacco-based products.

Tobacco use rates have consistently dropped for two decades but Americans aged 30-49 are still more likely to consumer cigarettes exclusively (11%) than just cannabis (8%).

The latest Gallup poll found that support for cannabis legalization in the U.S. has maintained a record high of 68%, which the pollster first recorded last year. Another Gallup poll from August, meanwhile, found that nearly half of U.S. adults (49%) had tried cannabis at least once, with 12% identifying as regular consumers.