Federal survey data show daily or near-daily marijuana use rose sharply between 2021 and 2025, surpassing frequent alcohol consumption and daily cigarette smoking while researchers warned that common surveys do not measure potency or quantity.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Marijuana has become the most commonly used daily or near-daily substance among American adults, surpassing both alcohol and cigarettes, according to findings from the 2025 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
2025 Nsduh Companion Report by yourNEWS Media
The federal survey, produced by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, estimated that between 20.9 million and 21.4 million adults used marijuana every day or almost every day. By comparison, 17.2 million adults reported daily or frequent alcohol consumption, while 19.9 million smoked cigarettes daily.
The estimates cover adults age 18 and older and place marijuana ahead of the two substances that historically dominated regular adult use in the United States.
The shift reflects both a rise in frequent cannabis consumption and a decline in tobacco and alcohol use. From 2021 through 2025, the number of adults reporting daily or near-daily marijuana use increased from 17.2 million to 20.9 million, an increase of approximately 22%.
Another comparison cited in the report found daily marijuana use, including smoking and edible products, rose about 21% over the same period, while tobacco use declined 28% and alcohol consumption fell 24%.
The largest single-year increase occurred between 2021 and 2022, when approximately 2.8 million additional adults reported consuming marijuana daily or nearly every day.
The pattern was especially pronounced among younger adults. Between 10% and 12% of people ages 18 to 25 reported daily or near-daily marijuana use, compared with 3% to 5% who drank alcohol daily and 9.6% who smoked cigarettes every day.
The survey data measure how often cannabis is used but do not necessarily reveal how much a person consumes during each session or the strength of the product.
Godfrey Pearlson wrote in “Cannabis Controversies and Challenges” that cannabis surveys commonly ask respondents how frequently they used the drug during a specific period but often do not measure dosage or THC potency.
Those limitations are significant as concentrated oils, edibles and other high-potency products become more widely available. Two people who both report daily use may have substantially different levels of exposure depending on the product, dosage and method of consumption.
Frequent marijuana use has also become more common among adults beyond traditional college-age populations. Millions of Americans in their 30s, 40s and 50s now report using cannabis every day or nearly every day.
Overall past-month cannabis use rose to 15.1%, a change the report associated with the spread of state-level legalization.
A separate survey examining workplace behavior found that substance use extended into and beyond working hours.
Modern Health surveyed 1,000 full-time employees in April 2026 and found that 63% engaged in at least one form of self-medication after finishing work. Another 52% said they had self-medicated during the workday.
Generation Z was the only age group in which post-work THC use exceeded alcohol consumption. About 59% of Gen Z respondents said they used marijuana products after work, compared with 50% who reported drinking alcohol.
Research examining the relationship between marijuana and other substances has produced differing results.
A 2020 report found that medical marijuana patients were less likely to drink alcohol or be controlled by other substances, while recreational users displayed the opposite pattern.
Cannabis has also been studied for possible medical applications. A 2019 report said expanded legal access to medical marijuana in numerous states allowed some people suffering from chronic pain to move away from opioid medications.
Other research has emphasized potential risks associated with sustained or high-potency use.
The New York Times published an investigative report in October 2024 titled “As America’s Marijuana Use Grows, So Do the Risks,” examining addiction, psychosis and severe vomiting associated with frequent use and stronger THC products.
Long-term studies have linked heavy adolescent cannabis use with lower rates of high school completion, greater likelihood of adult cannabis dependence and attempted suicide, although researchers have cautioned against assuming a direct causal relationship in every case.
Separate psychiatric research has examined adolescent marijuana use as a possible risk factor for schizophrenia.
Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News’ senior medical analyst, described the federal findings as a “very disturbing trend” and warned that public perceptions have not kept pace with increasing THC concentrations.
“Too little attention has been paid to the growing THC content in all cannabis products, which makes it far more dangerous in terms of mental performance, judgement, memory and all forms of impairment,” Siegel told Fox News Digital.
He said falling cigarette and alcohol use may reflect greater public understanding of their risks, while cannabis consumption is increasing amid weaker awareness of its potential effects.
“So I firmly believe that the rising use – coupled with decreasing alcohol and cigarettes – is directly due to lack of awareness of all the dangers of marijuana versus an increased awareness of all the dangers of cigarettes and alcohol,” Siegel said.
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