More Americans Smoke Cannabis Than Tobacco

A new Gallup poll found that more Americans smoked cannabis in the past week than tobacco, according to a report from The Hill.

Up from 12% last year, 16% of Americans polled said they smoked cannabis in the past week, more than double the all-time low of 7%. Only 11% of those polled said they smoked tobacco, however, down from 16% a year ago and far less than the 45% of Americans who reported smoking tobacco in the 1950s.

This is the highest level of cannabis consumption Gallup has tallied since it began asking the question in 2013 and the lowest result for the tobacco question since 1944 when it began asking that question, The Hill notes.

Although almost half of Americans report having used cannabis at least once — up from 4% in 1969, the first year Gallup polled Americans on their cannabis use — the country remains split on whether cannabis legalization is proving to be a positive or negative influence on society. The poll found that 68% of Americans believe cannabis should be legal.

Thirty-eight states and Washington D.C. have legalized cannabis for medical use in the U.S., while 19 states and D.C. have passed adult-use cannabis reforms.

States including Missouri, Arkansas, and possibly Oklahoma may pass their own adult-use cannabis legalization policies via voter initiative this November.