The key takeaway: changes in cannabis legislation significantly impact use patterns.

The study reveals a clear increase in cannabis use, particularly regarding daily use, which now surpasses reported daily alcohol use. These trends, alongside growing awareness of cannabis toxidromes (adverse reactions), hold valuable insights for healthcare professionals evaluating patients with altered mental states.

Global Cannabis Policy Shift and US Trends

As numerous countries contemplate cannabis policy revisions, this US-based study offers valuable insights. Researchers aimed to quantify long-term cannabis use trends and compare them with alcohol use patterns.

The analysis involved secondary analysis of data from the NSDUH and its predecessors, encompassing a total of 1,641,041 participants across 27 surveys conducted between 1979 and 2022.

Measurements and Key Findings

The study examined self-reported cannabis use rates and trends in usage days. Four pivotal years were compared:

• 1979: First available data and conclusion of the relatively liberal cannabis policies of the 1970s.
• 1992: Marking the end of 12 years under conservative cannabis policies of the Reagan-Bush era.
• 2008: The last year before the Justice Department signalled non-interference with state-level legalisations.
• 2022: Reflecting the most recent data available.

The findings paint a clear picture:

• Reported cannabis use dipped to a low point in 1992, with a partial recovery by 2008. Since then, a substantial surge has occurred, particularly in measures reflecting more intensive use.
• Between 2008 and 2022, the past-year use rate per capita climbed by 120%, and reported use days per capita soared by 218% (translating to an annual equivalent increase from 2.3 billion to 8.1 billion days).
• Notably, the per capita rate for daily or near-daily use saw a 15-fold increase from 1992 to 2022.

Shifting Landscape: Cannabis Now Tops Daily Use of Alcohol

A striking shift is evident:

• In 1992, daily or near-daily alcohol users outnumbered cannabis users by a factor of 10 (8.9 million vs. 0.9 million).
• By 2022, for the first time, daily and near-daily cannabis users surpassed alcohol users (17.7 million vs. 14.7 million).

It’s important to note that while alcohol consumption remains more widespread, high-frequency drinking is less prevalent. In 2022, the median drinker reported consuming alcohol 4-5 days per month, compared to 15-16 days for cannabis users. Additionally, past-month cannabis consumers in 2022 were nearly four times more likely to report daily or near-daily use (42.3% vs. 10.9%) and over seven times more likely to report daily use (28.2% vs. 3.8%) compared to alcohol users.

Source

PracticeUpdate