Medical cannabis is a rapidly growing field. It’s also still in its infancy—so much so that the majority of data about it still remains anecdotal. How many people are using cannabis? Which strains are most popular? What does the future hold for cannabis in the United States and around the world? These are just some of the many unanswered questions about cannabis usage. To answer them requires a deep dive into statistics. To help you get started, here’s an overview of the most important statistics about marijuana use in America today.
How many people use marijuana?
There is a lot of confusion about marijuana use and usage. Since the 1960s, rates of marijuana use have nearly doubled among teens, from 5% in the 1960s to 10% in the 2010s. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. For example, data suggests that about 5% of adults in the United States used marijuana in the past month. A 2015 study found that about 19% of Americans have used marijuana at some point in their lives, and about 6.5% used it in the past year. Data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) is a good way to look at marijuana use across the country. This survey includes both people who have used marijuana and those who have never used it. By examining this data, one can find facts and statistics about marijuana use across the United States.
Which states have legalized marijuana?
In 2018, nine states had fully legalized marijuana: Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, California, Nevada, Massachusetts, Maine, and Hawaii. Another 13 states have legalized some level of marijuana use: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
How many Americans vape or smoke cannabis?
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) is a good way to look at marijuana use across the country. The survey includes both people who have used marijuana and those who have never used it. By examining this data, one can find facts and statistics about marijuana use across the country. An October 2016 study found that roughly 15.2 million Americans had used marijuana in the past month. That’s about 5.9% of the population aged 12 and older. Yet, again, these are just the people who have admitted to using marijuana. Many more people use it but don’t admit it. This means that the percentage of those who use marijuana is even higher.
What are the most popular strains of marijuana?
The popularity of strains can largely be explained by consumers’ preferences. A study at the University of California, San Francisco, looked at the strains that patients in medical marijuana dispensaries liked best. This study aimed to figure out why some strains were more popular than others. For example, more people preferred indica strains over sativa strains (meaning they were more relaxed and sleepy while people who preferred sativas were more energetic). The researchers also found that strains with high levels of the terpene myrcene were the most popular. Terpenes are organic compounds that produce smells and flavours in plants. Myrcene is a type of terpene found in many cannabis strains. The researchers suggest that myrcene contributes to how people perceive the smell and flavour of cannabis.
Who uses cannabis?
A majority of Americans have tried marijuana at least once. Among those who have used marijuana, the most popular groups were those who used it every now and then, those who used it occasionally, and those who used it rarely. Using marijuana is also widely accepted. About seven-in-ten Americans who have used marijuana say they have never tried alcohol. However, many who have tried marijuana say they don’t approve of alcohol use. Roughly half of those who have used marijuana say they don’t approve of people who drink alcohol.
What are the negative side effects of marijuana use?
Marijuana has many potential health benefits, but it’s also linked to serious negative health effects. The most common negative health effects of marijuana include risk of heart disease, psychological disorders, impaired memory, and impaired driving and workplace performance. Marijuana may also exacerbate certain mental health issues such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and OCD.
How to minimize risks when using marijuana for medicine?
There are numerous risks associated with consuming marijuana. For example, it’s important to note that people who use marijuana are much more likely to be involved in a car crash than those who don’t use cannabis. That’s due in part to marijuana impairing a driver’s ability to handle the steering wheel, focus, and maintain a safe speed. Marijuana poses a number of risks to the health, including an increased risk of heart disease, respiratory infections, and mental health disorders. Researchers are also starting to discover the risks that marijuana may pose to one’s fertility and pregnancy. As the use of medical marijuana has expanded in recent years, researchers have started to take a closer look at these risks. A 2016 study found that daily marijuana users had significantly lower sperm concentration than non-users. Another 2016 study found that marijuana use was associated with a lower probability of conceiving a child compared with tobacco use. What’s more, this study showed that fathers who used marijuana were 17% less likely to have a child compared with fathers who used tobacco.
Conclusion
Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug in the United States, and its use is rising among adolescents and young adults. While there are still many questions about this drug and its long-term health effects, it’s important to remember that marijuana has a number of negative side effects, including the increased risk of heart disease. While these risks can be minimized by using marijuana responsibly, it’s also important to remember that this drug can’t be recommended for medical use.
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