Gallup: Marijuana Use by US Adults Doubles to 13 Percent

(Dreamstime.com)

By    |   Tuesday, 09 August 2016 12:14 PM EDT ET

A new Gallup poll revealed that marijuana use has nearly doubled among U.S. adults, with 13 percent admitting to smoking marijuana, up from 7 percent in 2013.

About 43 percent of Americans admit they have tried smoking marijuana, according to the report.

In 2013, recreational marijuana use was legal in Colorado and Washington. Since then Alaska, Oregon and the District of Columbia have legalized the drug and five states are set to vote on the issue in November. Meanwhile half of states have laws that allow some form of medical use of marijuana.

"Gallup finds residents in the West -- home of all four states that have legalized recreational marijuana use -- are significantly more likely to say they smoke marijuana than those in other parts of the country," the report said.

Marijuana use also is more common among those younger than 30 and those who don't regularly attend religious services.

Based on the Gallup poll of 1,000 random adults, 33 million American smoke marijuana compared with 40 million cigarette smokers, The Washington Post noted.

Meanwhile, arrests for marijuana reached record levels of about 1,700 per day in 2014, the Post reported, citing FBI data.

The increase in legalizations of marijuana along with the decrease in social stigma are likely factors in the rising rate of use.

Twitter users shared mixed reactions to the poll.

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TheWire
A new Gallup poll revealed that marijuana use has nearly doubled among U.S. adults, with 13 percent, or one in eight, admitting to smoking marijuana.
gallup, marijuana, use, adults, doubles
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2016-14-09
Tuesday, 09 August 2016 12:14 PM
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