Daily Marijuana Use Surpasses Alcohol and Cigarettes, Federal Data Shows

Cannabis Becomes Most-Used Daily Substance

Federal tracking data shows daily marijuana users now outnumber daily drinkers and daily smokers combined in several demographic cohorts. The crossover point arrived in 2025 but was confirmed in the latest dataset published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Daily cannabis use climbed to 11.3% of adults aged 18-65, while daily alcohol use held at 9.8% and daily cigarette smoking fell to 8.1%.

The trend accelerated after 2023, when hemp-derived delta-9 THC products and THCA flower became widely available in states without adult-use programs. Researchers noted the rise coincided with the proliferation of gas-station edibles and unregulated online sales.

State Legalization and Hemp Loopholes Drive Growth

Twenty-four states now permit adult-use cannabis, and 38 states allow medical access, but the steepest consumption gains occurred in prohibition states with legal hemp markets. States like Texas, Georgia, and North Carolina saw daily-use rates jump 40-60% between 2023 and 2026, driven by THCA flower and delta-9 gummies sold under the 2018 Farm Bill's 0.3% delta-9 THC dry-weight threshold.

The federal dataset doesn't distinguish between state-legal cannabis and hemp-derived products. That gap matters. Hemp advocates say the data conflates regulated dispensary sales with unregulated intoxicants, while prohibitionists cite the numbers as evidence the hemp loophole enables widespread daily use.

Alcohol and Tobacco Decline Accelerates

Daily alcohol consumption dropped 18% since 2020, and daily cigarette use fell 31% over the same window. Public health officials attributed the alcohol decline to younger cohorts (ages 21-34) substituting cannabis for evening drinking. Daily smoking rates collapsed fastest among adults over 50, a demographic that historically resisted cannabis but increasingly uses CBD and low-dose THC products for pain and sleep.

The data shows substitution, not addition. Among respondents who reported daily cannabis use, 62% said they reduced or eliminated alcohol, and 54% quit cigarettes entirely.

Daily Use Concentrated in Younger Demographics

Adults aged 21-34 reported the highest daily-use rate at 19.7%, nearly double the national average. Use tapers with age: 35-49 cohort at 12.1%, 50-64 cohort at 6.8%. The 65+ demographic remained lowest at 3.2%, though that figure tripled since 2020.

Gender gaps narrowed. Daily use among women rose to 9.4% from 5.1% in 2020, while men held steady near 13.2%. Researchers linked the female uptake to wellness marketing: tinctures, low-dose edibles, and topicals positioned as alternatives to wine or prescription sleep aids.

Implications for Regulatory and Tax Policy

The consumption shift complicates state revenue forecasts and federal scheduling debates. States that legalized adult-use after 2023 projected tax revenue based on substitution models that assumed cannabis would displace 20-30% of alcohol spending. Actual displacement is running closer to 50% in some markets, pressuring sin-tax budgets.

At the federal level, the DEA's pending rescheduling decision—expected final rule in Q4 2026—hinges partly on abuse-potential assessments. Daily-use prevalence above alcohol strengthens arguments for maintaining Schedule III rather than descheduling entirely. For context on the federal timeline, see the CannIntel topic hub on Cannabis Consumption Trends.

Enforcement Uncertainty in Hemp Markets

USDA and FDA enforcement remains inconsistent, leaving daily users in prohibition states reliant on products with zero quality oversight. The Farm Bill's delta-9 loophole allows THCA flower—raw cannabis that converts to delta-9 THC upon heating—to be sold legally as hemp. Total THC (THCA + delta-9) often exceeds 20%, but federal law measures only delta-9 in the raw plant.

State responses vary wildly. Minnesota and Louisiana moved to close the loophole in 2025. Texas and North Carolina haven't. Daily users in those states face a paradox: legal access to intoxicating products with no potency testing, no pesticide limits, and no purchase caps.

The next federal signal: USDA's interim final rule on hemp testing, due September 2026, may clarify whether total THC becomes the new compliance standard. We'll be watching whether the rule closes the loophole or leaves enforcement to the states.