Cannabis Smoking Hits Record High as Cigarette Use Falls to New Low
A decade ago, cigarette smoking was still the substance-use habit most people pictured first. Now the picture looks pretty different.
Gallup’s latest numbers show that 17% of U.S. adults say they smoke cannabis, tying the record high and more than doubling the 7% who said the same when Gallup first asked the question in 2013. At the same time, cigarette smoking has dropped to 11%, the lowest level Gallup has recorded.
That doesn’t mean one habit simply replaced the other. It means the way Americans use nicotine and cannabis is getting more varied, more public, and a lot more complicated.
Cannabis use is now much more common than it was in 2013
The headline number is hard to miss. Seventeen percent of U.S. adults now say they smoke cannabis, which ties the record high. Back in 2013, that figure was just 7%.
That’s a big jump in a relatively short time. A few things likely help explain it.
More states have legalized cannabis for medical or adult use. Cannabis has also become more visible in everyday life, from dispensaries to edible products to casual conversations that used to happen more quietly. For many adults, the stigma has faded.
Gallup’s figures also show that cannabis use isn’t limited to smoking. Another 15% of adults say they consume edibles. That matters because it shows cannabis has moved beyond the old image of smoking a joint. Gummies, chocolates, drinks, and other infused products have made cannabis feel more approachable for some people who don’t want to inhale anything.
Here’s the quick snapshot from the reported figures:
Product or habit | Share of U.S. adults |
Smoke cannabis | 17% |
Consume edibles | 15% |
Smoke cigarettes | 11% |
Vape nicotine | 9% |
Use nicotine pouches | 4% |
These numbers don’t tell us how often people use each product. Someone who smokes cannabis once in a while gets counted differently from someone who uses it daily in real life, but both may show up in the broad “yes” category. Still, the direction is clear.
Cannabis is up. Cigarettes are down.
Cigarette smoking keeps losing ground
Cigarette smoking has been declining for years, and this new 11% record low fits that long trend.
The drop didn’t happen by accident. Cigarettes have faced decades of public health campaigns, warning labels, indoor smoking bans, higher taxes, advertising limits, and growing awareness of the health risks. Smoking also became less socially convenient. Lighting up in restaurants, airplanes, offices, and bars used to be normal. Now it’s often not allowed, or just not accepted.
That social shift matters. Habits are easier to keep when the world around you makes room for them. Cigarettes have less room than they used to.
Nicotine hasn’t disappeared, though. It has changed forms. Gallup’s numbers show 9% of adults vape nicotine, while 4% use nicotine pouches. Those products don’t carry the same smell or visibility as cigarettes, which may make them easier to use discreetly.
That doesn’t make them harmless. Nicotine is addictive, no matter how it’s delivered. The health risks vary by product, but switching formats doesn’t erase the need to treat nicotine use seriously.
Adults in their 30s and 40s report the highest cannabis smoking rates
One of the more interesting parts of the data is the age breakdown.
Cannabis smoking was highest among adults ages 30 to 49, at 25%. Adults ages 18 to 29 followed closely at 23%.
That may surprise people who assume the youngest adults would lead by a wide margin. But it makes sense. Adults in their 30s and 40s came of age during a major shift in cannabis policy and culture. Many saw cannabis move from something illegal and hidden to something sold openly in licensed stores in many states.
This group may also have more disposable income than younger adults, which can make legal cannabis products easier to access. At the same time, they’re young enough to have grown up during a period when cannabis became less taboo.
There’s another layer here too. Younger adults often use more than one format. Some may prefer edibles, vapes, or other products instead of smoking. So smoking alone may not capture the full picture of cannabis use by age.
Still, the age numbers point to a clear trend. Cannabis smoking is not just a youth behavior. It’s very much part of adult life, especially among people in their 30s and 40s.
Americans are almost evenly split on whether cannabis helps or harms users
The rise in use doesn’t mean Americans agree on what cannabis is doing to people.
Gallup found that 47% view cannabis as having a positive impact on most users, while 46% believe its impact is negative. That’s about as divided as public opinion gets.
And honestly, that split tracks with how people talk about cannabis in real life.
Some people see it as a safer alternative to alcohol or a tool for relaxation. Others worry about dependence, mental health effects, impaired driving, use among younger people, or the strength of modern THC products.
Both sides are reacting to real concerns. Cannabis isn’t one single experience. A low-dose edible used occasionally by an adult is different from frequent high-THC use. Smoking cannabis is different from eating it. Medical use is different from recreational use. A person’s age, health history, and reason for using all matter.
That’s why broad claims can get messy fast.
What the data does show is that cannabis has become common before Americans have reached a shared view on its risks and benefits. Public behavior has shifted faster than public consensus.
The bigger story is changing norms around risk
The cannabis and cigarette trends say a lot about how Americans think about risk.
Cigarettes are now widely seen as dangerous, addictive, and socially outdated. Cannabis, by contrast, sits in a more uncertain place. It’s legal in many states, illegal in others, used medically by some, used recreationally by others, and still debated by doctors, lawmakers, parents, and consumers.
That split creates mixed messages.
A product can be legal and still carry risks. A product can be popular and still deserve caution. A product can help some people and cause problems for others.
For cannabis, the smartest conversation is probably less about whether it’s “good” or “bad” in a sweeping way, and more about how it’s used:
How often someone uses it
How much THC a product contains
Whether it’s smoked, vaped, or eaten
Whether the person is driving or working afterward
Whether they have a personal or family history of certain mental health conditions
Whether they’re mixing it with alcohol or other substances
This is informational only and isn’t medical advice. Anyone with health concerns about cannabis, nicotine, or quitting should talk with a qualified healthcare professional.
What to take away from the new numbers
The main takeaway is pretty simple: cannabis has moved further into the mainstream, while cigarette smoking continues to fade.
That doesn’t mean cannabis is risk-free. It also doesn’t mean every form of cannabis use should be treated the same. The numbers show a country in transition, where older tobacco habits are losing ground and newer cannabis and nicotine products are filling a more complicated space.
For now, Americans seem to agree on one thing through their behavior: cigarettes are out of favor. On cannabis, the country is still working through what rising use really means.
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