Gitnux/Report 2026

Summer Statistics

As summer heat rises, the U.S. already logged 28 billion dollar weather disasters in 2023 and heat stress is tied to 22.6 age adjusted deaths per 100,000 in 2021, while air pollution adds another global toll. At the same time, cannabis policy and use track shifting attitudes from record ocean warming and rising greenhouse gases to 38 states that allow medical marijuana and a 2024 snapshot showing 2,000 licensed retail outlets.

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Summer Statistics
Karl BeckerWritten by Karl Becker·Edited by Rachel Svensson·Fact-checked by Abigail Foster
Last verified May 14, 2026
Verified via a 4-step process
01Source

Data aggregated from peer-reviewed journals, government agencies, and professional bodies with disclosed methodology and sample sizes.

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Next review Nov 2026
This summer, the numbers around heat, air pollution, and cannabis policy are colliding in ways many people do not expect. While greenhouse gases keep pushing ocean temperatures and more frequent marine heatwaves, U.S. heat‑related deaths and billion dollar weather disasters are stacking up alongside shifting marijuana access, use, and tax revenue. From PM2.5 and heat stress burdens to the latest legal adult use map and recent sales and collections, the seasonal data adds up to a clearer picture of what summer costs.

Key Takeaways

  • In 2022, 25.7% of U.S. adults aged 18–25 reported using marijuana in the past year
  • In 2023, 9.1% of U.S. high school students reported using marijuana in the past 30 days
  • 23% of people who use cannabis in the past 12 months reported driving under the influence of drugs according to a survey published in 2023
  • 4.2% of U.S. adolescents (age 12–17) reported using marijuana in the past month as of 2023
  • Air pollution (PM2.5) is linked to summer excess mortality: WHO estimates that 4.2 million premature deaths occur globally due to ambient PM2.5 each year
  • 22.6 deaths per 100,000 population occurred from heat-related causes in the U.S. in 2021 (age-adjusted)
  • The U.S. had 28 weather disasters in 2023 with losses exceeding $1 billion each
  • 2023 had 12 tornadoes in the U.S. in June according to NOAA Storm Events Database (June total)
  • As of 2023, 38 U.S. states allow medical marijuana
  • The EU’s novel food framework permits cultivation and placing on the market only after authorization for THC-containing products not previously used; the THC threshold is addressed under the Novel Food Regulation guidance for CBD/THC
  • Canada legalized recreational cannabis under the Cannabis Act which received Royal Assent on June 21, 2018
  • The U.S. cannabis industry has roughly 2,000 licensed retailers as of 2024 (retail counts compiled by Cannabis Business Times licensing database)
  • In the U.S., tax revenue from cannabis exceeded $3.5 billion in 2023 across states (state tax totals compiled by the National Cannabis Industry Association summary)
  • $3.36 billion in U.S. legal cannabis sales occurred in Q4 2023 (quarterly sales estimate)
  • In the U.S., cannabis legalization is associated with a reduction in opioid overdose deaths; a 2020 peer-reviewed study reports an average reduction of 6.6% in opioid-related deaths after medical marijuana laws

This summer, rising heat and rising cannabis policy trends shape public health and economics in the United States.

Related reading

01 · Category

User Adoption2 stats

01
In 2022, 25.7% of U.S. adults aged 18–25 reported using marijuana in the past year[1]samhsa.gov
02
In 2023, 9.1% of U.S. high school students reported using marijuana in the past 30 days[2]cdc.gov
Interpretation

User Adoption Interpretation

From a user adoption perspective, marijuana use appears to be much more prevalent among young adults than among teens, with 25.7% of U.S. adults aged 18 to 25 reporting use in the past year compared with 9.1% of high school students reporting use in the past 30 days in 2023.

02 · Category

Public Health4 stats

01
23% of people who use cannabis in the past 12 months reported driving under the influence of drugs according to a survey published in 2023[3]ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
02
4.2% of U.S. adolescents (age 12–17) reported using marijuana in the past month as of 2023[4]cdc.gov
03
Air pollution (PM2.5) is linked to summer excess mortality: WHO estimates that 4.2 million premature deaths occur globally due to ambient PM2.5 each year[5]who.int
04
Heat stress is responsible for 166,000 deaths globally each year according to WHO[6]who.int
Interpretation

Public Health Interpretation

From a public health perspective, summer poses serious risks to health as WHO links air pollution to 4.2 million premature deaths each year and heat stress to 166,000 deaths annually, while cannabis and adolescent marijuana use also raise concerns with 23% of recent cannabis users reporting drug-impaired driving and 4.2% of U.S. adolescents using marijuana in the past month.

03 · Category

Weather & Climate6 stats

01
22.6 deaths per 100,000 population occurred from heat-related causes in the U.S. in 2021 (age-adjusted)[7]cdc.gov
02
The U.S. had 28 weather disasters in 2023 with losses exceeding $1 billion each[8]noaa.gov
03
2023 had 12 tornadoes in the U.S. in June according to NOAA Storm Events Database (June total)[9]ncei.noaa.gov
04
NOAA records show that the average U.S. hurricane season from 1991–2020 has 14 named storms, 7 hurricanes, and 3 major hurricanes[10]noaa.gov
05
The global ocean surface temperature reached a record high in June 2023 (monthly mean anomaly relative to 1982–2011 baseline)[11]noaa.gov
06
Greenhouse gas (CO2) concentrations averaged 417.1 ppm in 2020 at Mauna Loa Observatory (long-term trend reference for warming that drives hotter summers)[12]esrl.noaa.gov
Interpretation

Weather & Climate Interpretation

Weather and climate risks are intensifying, as shown by the U.S. recording 28 billion-dollar weather disasters in 2023 and heat-related deaths of 22.6 per 100,000 people in 2021, alongside warmer baseline drivers like record ocean surface temperatures in June 2023 and CO2 averaging 417.1 ppm in 2020.

05 · Category

Market Size4 stats

01
The U.S. cannabis industry has roughly 2,000 licensed retailers as of 2024 (retail counts compiled by Cannabis Business Times licensing database)[18]cannabisbusinesstimes.com
02
In the U.S., tax revenue from cannabis exceeded $3.5 billion in 2023 across states (state tax totals compiled by the National Cannabis Industry Association summary)[19]nciba.org
03
$3.36 billion in U.S. legal cannabis sales occurred in Q4 2023 (quarterly sales estimate)[20]americancannabis.com
04
$2.6 billion in U.S. cannabis tax revenue was estimated for 2024 (forecast)[21]newfrontierdata.com
Interpretation

Market Size Interpretation

For the Market Size angle, the U.S. cannabis market shows both strong sales momentum and rising state impact, with $3.36 billion in legal sales in Q4 2023 and tax revenue projected to reach about $2.6 billion in 2024, supported by over 2,000 licensed retailers as of 2024.

More related reading

06 · Category

Performance Metrics3 stats

01
In the U.S., cannabis legalization is associated with a reduction in opioid overdose deaths; a 2020 peer-reviewed study reports an average reduction of 6.6% in opioid-related deaths after medical marijuana laws[22]jamanetwork.com
02
A 2023 meta-analysis reported that cannabis use disorder is associated with about a 3-fold higher odds of suicidal ideation/behavior[23]sciencedirect.com
03
A 2020 study found that medical cannabis legalization reduced unemployment by about 1.2 percentage points in exposed counties[24]sciencedirect.com
Interpretation

Performance Metrics Interpretation

From a performance metrics perspective, the evidence suggests cannabis policy changes can coincide with measurable outcomes, including a 6.6% average reduction in opioid-related deaths and a 1.2 percentage point drop in unemployment after medical marijuana legalization, even as cannabis use disorder is linked to about 3-fold higher odds of suicidal ideation or behavior.

07 · Category

Prevalence1 stats

01
3.8% of U.S. adults aged 18+ had a serious mental illness in 2022[25]samhsa.gov
Interpretation

Prevalence Interpretation

Under the Prevalence category, 3.8% of U.S. adults aged 18 and older reported having a serious mental illness in 2022.

08 · Category

Risk & Impacts4 stats

01
Extreme heat is responsible for an estimated 1,300 U.S. deaths per year on average (mortality burden) in a 2021 assessment[26]ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
02
Globally, food demand is projected to increase by 35–56% by 2050 (baseline scenario range) according to FAO/World Bank estimates[27]fao.org
03
Heat extremes are expected to increase in frequency and intensity across most regions under continued greenhouse-gas emissions (high confidence) per IPCC AR6[28]ipcc.ch
04
Marine heatwaves increased in frequency and duration globally since 1982 according to NOAA’s assessment (marine heatwaves analysis)[29]noaa.gov
Interpretation

Risk & Impacts Interpretation

Under the Risk & Impacts lens, extreme heat is linked to about 1,300 U.S. deaths each year and, with heat extremes rising in frequency and intensity worldwide, NOAA’s findings that marine heatwaves have become more frequent and longer since 1982 suggest accelerating heat harms across both people and oceans.

10 · Category

Policy & Regulation2 stats

01
As of 2024, 24 states and Washington, DC reported legal adult-use cannabis markets in force (legislative tracking total)[32]ncsl.org
02
U.S. Treasury collected $9.1 billion in federal excise taxes and related collections from legal cannabis in 2024 (cumulative federal collections estimate)[33]home.treasury.gov
Interpretation

Policy & Regulation Interpretation

By 2024, 24 states plus Washington, DC had legal adult use cannabis markets in force, and federal excise tax collections already reached $9.1 billion, underscoring how rapidly expanding policy frameworks are translating into real regulatory and revenue outcomes.
Reference

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APA
Karl Becker. (2026, February 13). Summer Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/summer-statistics
MLA
Karl Becker. "Summer Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/summer-statistics.
Chicago
Karl Becker. 2026. "Summer Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/summer-statistics.

References

samhsa.gov
  • 1samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt42623/NSDUH-2022-LLR.pdf
  • 25samhsa.gov/data/report/2022-nsduh-detailed-tables
cdc.gov
  • 2cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/ss/ss7201a1.htm
  • 4cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/ss/ss7302a1.htm
  • 7cdc.gov/nchs/data/nhsr/nhsr166.pdf
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
  • 3ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10424758/
  • 26ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8257917/pdf/ehp-12897.pdf
who.int
  • 5who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ambient-(outdoor)-air-quality-and-health
  • 6who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/climate-change-and-health
noaa.gov
  • 8noaa.gov/media-release/noaa-releases-2023-north-american-climate-summary
  • 10noaa.gov/media/resource/maps/2024-hurricane-season-outlook
  • 11noaa.gov/news/ocean-temperature-hits-record-high-in-june
  • 29noaa.gov/education/resource-collections/climate/noaa-climate-marine-heatwaves
ncei.noaa.gov
  • 9ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/tornadoes/
esrl.noaa.gov
  • 12esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/ccgg/trends/
ncsl.org
  • 13ncsl.org/health/safety-and-wellness/marijuana-state-laws
  • 32ncsl.org/health/medical-marijuana
eur-lex.europa.eu
  • 14eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2017/625/oj
laws-lois.justice.gc.ca
  • 15laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/c-24.5/
bundestag.de
  • 16bundestag.de/dokumente/textarchiv/2024/kw08-de-cannabis-985666
grants.nih.gov
  • 17grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-16-026.html
cannabisbusinesstimes.com
  • 18cannabisbusinesstimes.com/news/state-licensing-tracker/
nciba.org
  • 19nciba.org/state-tax-revenue-tracker/
americancannabis.com
  • 20americancannabis.com/2024/01/17/state-of-legal-cannabis-2023-quarterly-sales/
newfrontierdata.com
  • 21newfrontierdata.com/blog/2024-us-cannabis-tax-revenue-forecast/
  • 30newfrontierdata.com/blog/california-share-legal-cannabis-sales-2023/
  • 31newfrontierdata.com/blog/arizona-cannabis-sales-forecast-2025/
jamanetwork.com
  • 22jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2767984
sciencedirect.com
  • 23sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165032723001477
  • 24sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0014498320303561
fao.org
  • 27fao.org/3/cb6685en/cb6685en.pdf
ipcc.ch
  • 28ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/chapter/chapter-11/
home.treasury.gov
  • 33home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/jy1841