Daily Marijuana Use Now Tops Daily Drinking and Smoking in US

More Americans now use marijuana on a daily or near-daily basis than either drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes daily, according to newly released federal survey data highlighted by the New York Post. The shift underscores how quickly cannabis has moved from fringe to mainstream consumption habit, with implications for beverage, tobacco, and cannabis names alike.

What the data actually shows

The 2025 National Survey on Drug Use and Health estimates that about 21.4 million people ages 12 and older used marijuana daily or nearly every day in 2025. By comparison, an estimated 17.2 million people drank alcohol on at least 20 days during the previous month, while roughly 19.9 million smoked cigarettes daily or nearly every day.

Cannabis has become the nation’s most commonly used daily intoxicating substance, even as alcohol remains the most widely consumed overall, according to a CDC report.

Alcohol still bigger overall, but usage patterns differ

Nearly 129 million Americans reported consuming alcohol during the previous month, compared with about 43.8 million who said they used marijuana during that same period. The gap in total users is wide, but the frequency skew clearly favors cannabis.

The survey found that between 40% and 50% of people who reported using marijuana during the past month said they consumed it daily or nearly every day. In contrast, only about 13% of people who drank alcohol in the previous month reported drinking on at least 20 days.

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Addiction and disorder trends

Smart Approaches to Marijuana pointed to the survey’s findings on substance use disorders, saying nearly 19.3 million Americans met the clinical criteria for marijuana use disorder in 2025, making it the second most common substance use disorder behind alcohol, which affected 25.7 million people.

According to the organization, marijuana use disorder has increased by about 2.6 million people since 2021, while the number of people with alcohol use disorder has declined by roughly 4 million over the same period. That divergence is exactly the substitution pattern beverage-alcohol investors have been worried about.

Why the shift matters for markets

Researchers say the numbers reflect years of changing attitudes toward cannabis as more states legalize medical or recreational marijuana. For traders, the read-through is that the daily-consumer base for cannabis is now structurally larger than for booze or cigarettes, which pressures long-term volume assumptions for legacy alcohol and tobacco names.

The survey also found that marijuana remained the nation’s most commonly used illicit drug, with 61.6 million Americans reporting past-year use, while overall substance use disorder and alcohol use disorder rates declined since 2021.

Options market and stocks to watch

Traders may want to keep an eye on names that sit directly on either side of this substitution trade:

• MSOS — the US multi-state cannabis operator ETF, the cleanest proxy for domestic legalization sentiment. Watch for flow around any federal rescheduling headlines.
• TLRY — Tilray straddles both cannabis and craft beer, so it captures both sides of the shift. Watch for volatility on any beverage-alcohol commentary.
• CGC — Canopy Growth remains highly sensitive to US legalization optionality. Watch for reaction to any policy signal.
• STZ — Constellation Brands is the alcohol name most exposed to younger-consumer substitution away from beer. Watch for guidance color on category volumes.
• MO — Altria continues to face secular pressure as daily cigarette use trails daily cannabis use. Watch for any moves into the cannabis or nicotine-alternative space.

For more on cannabis policy and consumer stocks, see other news coverage on the shifting substance landscape.

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