What state smokes the most weed is an ongoing debate that’s centered on the drug and the political climate it spawns.
While the United States has legalized the use of small amounts of marijuana, the District of Columbia has no laws about smoking weed.
As a result, the number of marijuana smokers in the District of Columbia is lower than in any other state. And there’s more that stats are showing.
Millennials
As marijuana legalization sweeps the nation, twenty-somethings in California are switching to cannabis in place of alcohol.
According to a study by OutCo, a Southern California cannabis company in partnership with Monocle Research, half of Californians ages 18-29 already drink cannabis. Of this group, 34% said they’d choose marijuana over beer, while 18% say they’ll switch to cannabis instead of wine or spirits.
Millennials are the most likely to smoke marijuana compared to any other age group. They consume about 51% of all marijuana in the U.S., making them the largest group among weed consumers. Baby boomers, Generation X, and traditionalists make up the rest of the population.
In addition to being the most common illicit drug in the U.S., marijuana is now widely available on the dark web and on Craigslist. It is a relatively easy drug to find, which makes it convenient for most users.
The average marijuana smoker is a millennial, male, with an income under $50,000 and no college degree. Millennials are more likely to be Democrat than Republican, while Republicans are about equal in terms of marijuana use.
A Gallup poll revealed that nearly half of American adults have tried marijuana. This figure is a significant increase from the 20th century, when just over 20% of U.S. adults experimented with marijuana.
The proportion is now approaching fifty percent, and will likely continue to climb. This increase could be attributed to a generational shift. Millennials are replacing the traditionalists as the majority of marijuana users.
Despite the fact that the Millennials were among the oldest generation to begin smoking marijuana, they did not behave in the same way. They preferred to socialize at home. While Millennials were more likely to socialize in bars and restaurants, Gen Z is less likely to do so.
Marijuana use is common among millennials and other young adults, but there are some health risks associated with it.
Cannabis use is dangerous for pregnant women and while driving. It increases the risk of leukemia and cancer, and may lead to lower birth weight and increased anxiety. Additionally, driving while high increases the risk of car accidents.
According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, nearly half of American adults have tried marijuana once or twice in their lives.
Twenty-two percent of them are current marijuana users, defined as using marijuana at least once in the past year. Moreover, nearly 35 million are regular marijuana smokers.
The study found that the majority of marijuana smokers don’t view marijuana as a recreational drug but a way to satisfy a specific need in their lives.
Four out of 10 of them hide their stash from other people. They most commonly hide their stash in a closet or dresser. Other places in which marijuana users hide their stash are fake cans and containers, books, and safes.
Prohibition States
The United States has debated the legal status of marijuana since the early 1900s. The Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, is opposed to legalization and has insisted on the federal enforcement of prohibition laws.
His rhetoric has its roots in the racist rhetoric of the 1930s. However, recent polls indicate that many Americans support legalization of marijuana and that its legalization has sparked widespread support for the substance.
Although a report released in 1972 by the National Commission on Marijuana and Drug Abuse endorsed decriminalization of marijuana, it did not get much press coverage. During that time, few lawmakers were familiar with marijuana and had a hard time voting on the measure.
For example, Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn declared marijuana to be a narcotic while Representative John D. Dingle confused it with locoweed. In addition to that, there was only one witness against the bill, an official from the American Medical Association. Consequently, congressmen accused the organization of obstructionism.
The anti-marijuana campaign was largely coordinated with Hobson’s annual Narcotic Education Week, and emphasized that marijuana was a dangerous drug that could lead to crime and violence.
While the anti-marijuana campaign was not based on evidence, it was based on journalists’ imaginations.
While the public already had knowledge about cocaine and opiates from drugstore potions, it was unfamiliar with marijuana. As such, marijuana was made the vessel for the public’s worst fears.
A Little Bit of History
Marijuana, also known as cannabis, has been around for centuries. It became popular in the U.S. during the early 20th century as a way to play on the growing anti-immigrant sentiment.
The Mexican immigrants were the first to introduce the habit of marijuana smoking to the United States.
Marijuana was not widely used in the United States until the early 1900s, when Mexican immigrants brought the habit of smoking marihuana to the United States.
With the rise of resentment against Mexican immigrants, and a fear of the “evil weed”, many states passed laws to criminalize marijuana. The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 was the first federal law to criminalize marijuana nationwide.
The act imposed an excise tax on marijuana products, as well as other hemp products. Despite the widespread ban, marijuana remained illegal in most states until it was legalized by the United States federal government in 1970.
Marijuana is illegal in the United States, but this hasn’t stopped people from smoking pot. Despite the high number of arrests, marijuana still remains illegal in many states.
The lack of resources in the criminal justice system makes it difficult for police to prosecute all marijuana users. Additionally, many of these arrests fall along racial lines.
States With Legalized Medical Marijuana
There’s a lot of talk these days about legalizing marijuana use for recreational purposes.
New York
While the number of states that have legalized marijuana use has steadily increased over the past decade, New York has only just passed a ballot measure making it the 15th.
However, it is unclear when retail sales will start. Despite the uncertainty, every state that made this list had legalized medical marijuana prior to legalizing it for recreational purposes.
Michigan
Marijuana is now legal in Michigan, making it the tenth state to do so.
In 2018, Michigan voters passed Proposition 1 to legalize marijuana for adults over 21. The state’s marijuana laws are much more lenient than the other states that have legalized it for recreational use.
And the state also has a big medical marijuana program, which covers epilepsy in adults and PTSD in minors.
Washington
In Washington state, adults over the age of 21 can possess up to one ounce of marijuana and up to 72 ounces of marijuana-infused edibles and liquid products.
In addition, they can grow up to six marijuana plants, but can only grow three of them. The sale of marijuana is only legal at licensed dispensaries.
New Jersey
New Jersey is expected to follow suit in the near future. While marijuana is incredibly common in American society, there are also a number of risks associated with its use. Using marijuana can lead to violence and mental illness.
Connecticut
There are also many reasons to believe that Connecticut will eventually legalize medical marijuana, and there are several bills in the committees that are being considered now.
Legal medical marijuana in Colorado
The state has decriminalized marijuana, and has a fairly open medical marijuana program. There are strict requirements to qualify, but Colorado residents can buy up to four ounces of weed every 30 days, grow up to six plants, and carry less than an ounce.
However, it is worth noting that marijuana is illegal in national parks, and many counties have rules that limit where it can be smoked.
Marijuana in the United States is legal in 19 states and the District of Columbia. While most states have decriminalized possession of a small amount of marijuana, 11 states have banned it altogether.
The only two states that still ban it entirely are Mississippi and Alabama. These are two of the newest states to legalize marijuana for medical purposes.
The Rohrabacher-Blumenauer amendment, which protects medical marijuana laws from federal prosecution, allows states to regulate medical marijuana as they see fit. The amendment is subject to renewal annually.
The Trump administration has indicated that it wants to enforce federal marijuana laws, but the limited resources and revenues of the Department of Justice could deter enforcement.
Conclusion
Marijuana is a drug that is here to stay. It has a long and complicated history in the United States, but its use has become more accepted in recent years.
While it is still illegal in some states, the trend seems to be moving towards legalization. For now, it is important to understand the risks and rewards associated with its use.