Marijuana Use

Updated May 8, 2019 | Infoplease Staff

(over a lifetime)

The following table shows the percentage of Americans who use marijuana, according to year, age, race, and sex.

Characteristic 1979 1982 1985 1988 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1999 2000 2001 2006 2007 2013
Total 28.0% 28.6% 29.4% 30.6% 30.5% 30.2% 31.0% 31.1% 31.0% 32.0% 34.6% 34.2% 36.9% 47.5% 40.6% 42.8%
Age
12–17 years 27.0 23.2 20.1 15.0 11.1 9.1 9.9 13.6 16.2 16.8 18.7 18.3 19.7 17.3 16.2 16.4
18–25 years 66.0 61.3 57.6 54.6 48.8 46.6 45.7 41.9 41.4 44.0 46.8 45.7 50.0 52.4 50.8 51.9
26–34 years 45.0 51.5 54.1 57.6 55.2 54.3 54.9 52.7 51.8 50.5 47.7 46.0 47.9 40.61 42.01 45.71
35 years or more 9.0 10.4 13.9 17.6 21.1 22.2 23.8 25.4 25.3 27.0 31.5 31.6 34.5 n.a. n.a. n.a.
Race
White 28.0 29.3 31.1 32.0 32.0 32.4 33.6 33.5 33.5 34.4 37.1 37.0 40.1 43.9 45.2 48.5
Black 28.0 28.2 26.6 26.8 28.7 25.0 24.6 27.5 28.2 29.6 32.1 30.8 33.1 37.6 38.0 42.4
Hispanic 21.0 23.7 18.4 21.7 21.0 20.0 21.8 21.6 20.2 22.0 25.3 24.2 25.6 26.7 26.8 32.6
Sex
Male 34.0 34.0 34.7 33.9 34.6 34.8 35.9 35.9 35.6 37.0 38.7 38.7 41.1 44.3 45.2 48.6
Female 22.0 23.6 24.5 27.6 26.8 25.9 26.4 26.8 26.8 27.5 30.7 30.0 33.0 35.5 36.2 39.2
1. Percentage includes people 26 years and older.
Source: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Health
Brewer's: Health
Sources +