Significantly more Americans now say they smoke marijuana than cigarettes—with young people being more than five times more likely to consume cannabis than tobacco, according to new Gallup polling data. Overall, 17 percent of Americans say they smoke cannabis, compared to 12 percent who reported smoking any cigarettes in the past week.
The difference is especially stark when it comes to younger adults. Among those aged 18-34, 26 percent said they use cannabis, compared to just 5 percent who smoke cigarettes. 18% of adults aged 35-54 smoke marijuana, which is also more than smoke cigarettes (16 percent). Adults 55 and older, however, were slightly more likely to smoke cigarettes in the past week (13 percent) than those who smoke cannabis (11 percent).
The marijuana question—which asked specifically about whether people “smoke” the substance—likely does not reflect overall current cannabis use given the range of non-smokable products that people consume such as edibles, tinctures and vapes. “Americans’ reported marijuana smoking has more than doubled since 2013, when Gallup first added the question in its annual Consumption Habits survey,” the polling firm said. “That year, seven percent said they did.”
