Daily cannabis use has now surpassed daily alcohol use among U.S. adults ages 19–30.

While far more people drink alcohol than use cannabis, daily or near-daily cannabis use (20+ days in the past 30 days) is now significantly more common than daily or near-daily drinking in this age group.

Key Trend Highlights:

• Daily/near-daily alcohol use has remained relatively stable since 1988.

• Daily/near-daily cannabis use began rising after 1992 (end of conservative Reagan-Bush era), accelerated following 2008 (last year before federal non-interference with state legalizations), and increased sharply after statewide legalization began in 2012.

By 2023:

Daily/near-daily cannabis use reached 10.4% — nearly three times higher than daily/near-daily alcohol use at 3.6%.

In 2024:

Cannabis is legal for adult use in 22 states + Washington, DC.

Data from the Monitoring the Future Panel Study (389,649 responses). Questions measured number of days in the past 30 days using marijuana/hashish or having one or more alcoholic drinks.

Source: Patrick, M. E., et al. (2025). Daily or near-daily cannabis and alcohol use by adults in the United States. Addiction journal.