Federally legal cannabis retailer, Mood, analyzed data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). They looked at rates of cannabis and alcohol use in the last month for people aged 18 and over, to find the states where the gap is narrowing the most.
Arizona findings:
Arizona is ranked 8th, with 19.83% of adults using cannabis in the last month, compared with 47.20% consuming alcohol during the same period — a difference of 138.0%.
According to the findings, New Mexico shows the smallest gap, with 25.45% of people aged 18 and over reporting cannabis use in the last month, compared with 48.66% using alcohol, making the rate of alcohol use just 91.2% higher.
At the other end of the spectrum, Iowa shows the largest disparity, with just 11.05% of adults using cannabis monthly compared to 56.14% consuming alcohol, representing a massive 408.1% difference between the two substances.
Overall, Vermont has the highest rate of cannabis use of any state at 26.67%, while Texas has the lowest rate at 10.96%. Utah has the lowest alcohol consumption rate at 31.14% and the District of Columbia has the highest rate of 65.99%.
Across America, 16.11% of people report using cannabis compared to 52.28% using alcohol in the last month, a difference of 224.5%.
“These figures show that cannabis use is steadily gaining ground on alcohol consumption in many states, particularly in regions where there has been progressive legislation around cannabis use,” says David Charles, CEO of Mood.
“We’re witnessing a shift in how Americans approach recreational substances, and those states with the smallest gaps tend to have more established cannabis markets and more accepting attitudes toward its use.”
“Meanwhile, states with the largest disparities typically have more restrictive policies toward cannabis, which naturally affects consumption rates,” he adds.