There have been a lot of open-ended cannabis promises from the federal government over the last few years regarding rescheduling. Unfortunately, the latest Trump appointment has people skeptical of the outcome. While that path remains unknown, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) did release some new data about the plant informing what American cannabis consumption really looks like.
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Here’s what the feds know about American stoners
The government agency included a summary of cannabis consumption methods in a recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). The study found that cannabis consumers are more adventurous about how they get high, which could complicate public health management.
Cannabis has evolved immensely in the last decade. There was a time when cannabis patients had a handful of strains to choose from and maybe a cookie or two. There are now wild edibles based on viral food trends and ever-expanding strain menus–not to mention hash, vapes, and more. The CDC reports that these growing product offerings have led to the most diverse consumption to date.
Researchers gathered this data from the 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. The yearly survey is conducted on landlines and cell phones with noninstitutionalized adults over 18. Accuracy limitations are present. Data is self-reported and does not provide the widest view of the population. Also, jurisdictions have not consistently asked about cannabis consumption methods year-over-year, which makes it hard to track trends.
People are consuming more kinds of weed
In 2022, the survey included revised cannabis questions for 22 U.S. states and two territories with legalization reform. The survey did not allow people to select multiple consumption methods from 2017 to 2021. This is the first time the CDC has gathered combined use information since 2016. The agency surveyed 19 states on cannabis in 2023, but the information collected is unclear at this time.
The cohort included almost 140,000 respondents. 14,000 had consumed cannabis in the previous 30 days, and 6800 of them did so over 20 times in that period. This frequency of use was most common in 18 to 24-year-olds.
Daily consumers mostly smoked (about 80 percent of them), while 40 percent ate their weed, 30 percent vaped, and 15 percent dabbed. Vaping and dabbing were most common in the youngest age group. Dabbing was also most common in those who did not have a high school diploma. One in eight adults aged 18 to 34 reported daily cannabis use. Approximately one-half of current cannabis users reported multiple routes of use, meaning they liked to eat, smoke, vape, and dab rather than just one preferred method.
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The CDC identifies a few public health risks from this data. The agency is concerned over potential harmful contaminants in vapes causing a similar health scare to the 2019 vape crisis. It also cites increased burn injury risk for those dabbing and a need to secure all infused food from children. There is also an increased fear that high THC products cause psychosis, and a rise in dabbing among younger populations could lead to a flare of cases.
Though there are limitations, collecting this information helps diagnose potential public health problems. Knowing how people get stoned provides an accurate look at what issues could occur in the future. Or, since this data was released three years ago, right now.
