DID YOU KNOW: 55 MILLION Americans adults currently use Marijuana! That is about 16.4% of our nation's population. As we come close to the end of #RedRibbonWeek2021 we want to show some statistics about Marijuana misuse. Thanks to the NCDAS (National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics), they have come up with some stats that will blow your mind!
Here are some statistics about Opioid Misuse within the past year:
- 48.2 million Americans over the age of 18 use marijuana at least once over a 12-month period.
- Marijuana use increased 15.9% from 2018 to 2019.
- Marijuana is illegal under Federal law but 15 states have legalized its recreational use. Within those states it’s estimated that sales topped $14 billion in 2019 with sales projected to reach $30 billion or higher in 2023.
- Street names for marijuana include: Aunt Mary, BC Bud, Blunts, Boom, Chronic, Dope, Gangster, Ganja, Grass, Hash, Herb, Hydro, Indo, Joint, Kif, Mary Jane, Mota, Pot, Reefer, Sinsemilla, Skunk, Smoke, Weed, and Yerba.
- 30% of those who use marijuana may have some degree of marijuana use disorder and 1 in 6 users who start using it before age 18 become addicted
- In 2019, 43% of college students consumed marijuana, which was the highest rate of marijuana consumption among that group since 1983.
- Marijuana is frequently used in a polysubstance situation where multiple drugs are taken together, alcohol in particular:
- Alcohol and marijuana together is known as a “crossfade,” and will increase alcohol impairment and speed up the absorption of THC into the body.
- Polysubstance consumption of drugs can result in dependency/addiction, high-risk behaviors, psychopathology onset or other poor mental health outcomes.
- In users with higher risk factors such as preexisting health conditions, polysubstance consumption can be extremely dangerous.
- Marijuana concentrates or “dabs” can contain 40-90% THC, which could be higher than 4 times the amount of THC in marijuana. These concentrates can cause serious harm to individuals unaware of the level of THC they are consuming or from the toxic chemicals produced during the process, such as benzene and methacrolein
- Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) can cause other health problems
- Synthetic cannabinoids (street names K2, Spice) are marketed as a cheap alternative to marijuana but are in fact dangerous or even life-threatening
- In states where marijuana has been legalized:
- Emergency-room visits related to marijuana increased by 54% and hospitalizations increased by 101% in 2018.
- Suicides where toxicology tests indicated marijuana had been used increased from 7.6% in 2006 to 23% in 2017.
- In Colorado, the cost of marijuana to taxpayers is nearly $5.00 for every $1.00 gained in tax revenue in addition to expenses such as marijuana-related DUIs that cost $25 million in 2016.
These are just some of the many statistics that NCDAS has available. Head to the link below to see more statistics and info about substance misuse and addiction.
NCDAS: Substance Abuse and Addiction Statistics [2021] (drugabusestatistics.org)