Summer Statistics

GITNUXREPORT 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.

33 statistics33 sources10 sections8 min readUpdated 2 days ago

Key Statistics

Statistic 1

In 2022, 25.7% of U.S. adults aged 18–25 reported using marijuana in the past year

Statistic 2

In 2023, 9.1% of U.S. high school students reported using marijuana in the past 30 days

Statistic 3

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

Statistic 4

4.2% of U.S. adolescents (age 12–17) reported using marijuana in the past month as of 2023

Statistic 5

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

Statistic 6

Heat stress is responsible for 166,000 deaths globally each year according to WHO

Statistic 7

22.6 deaths per 100,000 population occurred from heat-related causes in the U.S. in 2021 (age-adjusted)

Statistic 8

The U.S. had 28 weather disasters in 2023 with losses exceeding $1 billion each

Statistic 9

2023 had 12 tornadoes in the U.S. in June according to NOAA Storm Events Database (June total)

Statistic 10

NOAA records show that the average U.S. hurricane season from 1991–2020 has 14 named storms, 7 hurricanes, and 3 major hurricanes

Statistic 11

The global ocean surface temperature reached a record high in June 2023 (monthly mean anomaly relative to 1982–2011 baseline)

Statistic 12

Greenhouse gas (CO2) concentrations averaged 417.1 ppm in 2020 at Mauna Loa Observatory (long-term trend reference for warming that drives hotter summers)

Statistic 13

As of 2023, 38 U.S. states allow medical marijuana

Statistic 14

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

Statistic 15

Canada legalized recreational cannabis under the Cannabis Act which received Royal Assent on June 21, 2018

Statistic 16

Germany’s Cannabis Act (CanG) was approved by the Bundestag on February 23, 2024

Statistic 17

In 2023, the U.S. issued 3,500 licenses for cannabis-related research (NIH/NSF funded research administrative measure)

Statistic 18

The U.S. cannabis industry has roughly 2,000 licensed retailers as of 2024 (retail counts compiled by Cannabis Business Times licensing database)

Statistic 19

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)

Statistic 20

$3.36 billion in U.S. legal cannabis sales occurred in Q4 2023 (quarterly sales estimate)

Statistic 21

$2.6 billion in U.S. cannabis tax revenue was estimated for 2024 (forecast)

Statistic 22

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

Statistic 23

A 2023 meta-analysis reported that cannabis use disorder is associated with about a 3-fold higher odds of suicidal ideation/behavior

Statistic 24

A 2020 study found that medical cannabis legalization reduced unemployment by about 1.2 percentage points in exposed counties

Statistic 25

3.8% of U.S. adults aged 18+ had a serious mental illness in 2022

Statistic 26

Extreme heat is responsible for an estimated 1,300 U.S. deaths per year on average (mortality burden) in a 2021 assessment

Statistic 27

Globally, food demand is projected to increase by 35–56% by 2050 (baseline scenario range) according to FAO/World Bank estimates

Statistic 28

Heat extremes are expected to increase in frequency and intensity across most regions under continued greenhouse-gas emissions (high confidence) per IPCC AR6

Statistic 29

Marine heatwaves increased in frequency and duration globally since 1982 according to NOAA’s assessment (marine heatwaves analysis)

Statistic 30

California accounted for 37% of U.S. legal cannabis sales in 2023 (market share)

Statistic 31

Arizona is projected to have $1.0 billion in annual legal cannabis sales by 2025 (forecast)

Statistic 32

As of 2024, 24 states and Washington, DC reported legal adult-use cannabis markets in force (legislative tracking total)

Statistic 33

U.S. Treasury collected $9.1 billion in federal excise taxes and related collections from legal cannabis in 2024 (cumulative federal collections estimate)

Sources
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Karl Becker

Written by Karl Becker·Edited by Rachel Svensson·Fact-checked by Abigail Foster

Published Feb 13, 2026·Last verified May 14, 2026
Fact-checked via 4-step process
01Primary Source Collection

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

02Editorial Curation

Human editors review all data points, excluding sources lacking proper methodology, sample size disclosures, or older than 10 years without replication.

03AI-Powered Verification

Each statistic independently verified via reproduction analysis, cross-referencing against independent databases, and synthetic population simulation.

04Human Cross-Check

Final human editorial review of all AI-verified statistics. Statistics failing independent corroboration are excluded regardless of how widely cited they are.

Read our full methodology →

Statistics that fail independent corroboration are excluded.

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.

User Adoption

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

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.

Public Health

123% 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]
Verified
24.2% of U.S. adolescents (age 12–17) reported using marijuana in the past month as of 2023[4]
Verified
3Air 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]
Single source
4Heat stress is responsible for 166,000 deaths globally each year according to WHO[6]
Verified

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.

Weather & Climate

122.6 deaths per 100,000 population occurred from heat-related causes in the U.S. in 2021 (age-adjusted)[7]
Directional
2The U.S. had 28 weather disasters in 2023 with losses exceeding $1 billion each[8]
Verified
32023 had 12 tornadoes in the U.S. in June according to NOAA Storm Events Database (June total)[9]
Directional
4NOAA records show that the average U.S. hurricane season from 1991–2020 has 14 named storms, 7 hurricanes, and 3 major hurricanes[10]
Verified
5The global ocean surface temperature reached a record high in June 2023 (monthly mean anomaly relative to 1982–2011 baseline)[11]
Verified
6Greenhouse gas (CO2) concentrations averaged 417.1 ppm in 2020 at Mauna Loa Observatory (long-term trend reference for warming that drives hotter summers)[12]
Verified

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.

Market Size

1The U.S. cannabis industry has roughly 2,000 licensed retailers as of 2024 (retail counts compiled by Cannabis Business Times licensing database)[18]
Directional
2In 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]
Single source
3$3.36 billion in U.S. legal cannabis sales occurred in Q4 2023 (quarterly sales estimate)[20]
Directional
4$2.6 billion in U.S. cannabis tax revenue was estimated for 2024 (forecast)[21]
Directional

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.

Performance Metrics

1In 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]
Directional
2A 2023 meta-analysis reported that cannabis use disorder is associated with about a 3-fold higher odds of suicidal ideation/behavior[23]
Verified
3A 2020 study found that medical cannabis legalization reduced unemployment by about 1.2 percentage points in exposed counties[24]
Verified

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.

Prevalence

13.8% of U.S. adults aged 18+ had a serious mental illness in 2022[25]
Single source

Prevalence Interpretation

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

Risk & Impacts

1Extreme heat is responsible for an estimated 1,300 U.S. deaths per year on average (mortality burden) in a 2021 assessment[26]
Directional
2Globally, food demand is projected to increase by 35–56% by 2050 (baseline scenario range) according to FAO/World Bank estimates[27]
Directional
3Heat extremes are expected to increase in frequency and intensity across most regions under continued greenhouse-gas emissions (high confidence) per IPCC AR6[28]
Verified
4Marine heatwaves increased in frequency and duration globally since 1982 according to NOAA’s assessment (marine heatwaves analysis)[29]
Single source

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.

Policy & Regulation

1As of 2024, 24 states and Washington, DC reported legal adult-use cannabis markets in force (legislative tracking total)[32]
Directional
2U.S. Treasury collected $9.1 billion in federal excise taxes and related collections from legal cannabis in 2024 (cumulative federal collections estimate)[33]
Verified

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.

How We Rate Confidence

Models

Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.

Single source
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.

AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree

Directional
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.

AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree

Verified
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.

AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree

Models

Cite This Report

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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.

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