From a 2024 forecast of $40.0 billion in U.S. cannabis sales to 11.4% of 12th graders reporting marijuana use in the past month, weed numbers shift fast between markets, health, and policy. Meanwhile, 49 states plus DC have medical legalization and 24 states plus DC allow adult use, yet only 38 states and DC let localities shape rules in some way as of March 2024. These statistics are useful precisely because they do not line up neatly, and the gaps raise the real questions behind cannabis use and regulation.
Key Takeaways
- 0.2% of U.S. adults reported using synthetic cannabinoids in the past year in 2023 (NSDUH).
- 4,604 cannabis-related emergency department visits were reported to DAWN in 2016 (National estimates; SAMHSA/DAWN).
- In the Global Burden of Disease 2019, the age-standardized rate of DALYs for cannabis use was 55.4 per 100,000 in 2019 (IHME GBD 2019).
- 49 states, the District of Columbia, and 4 U.S. territories had legalized cannabis for medical use as of December 2023.
- 24 states plus the District of Columbia had legalized cannabis for adult-use as of December 2023.
- As of March 2024, 38 states and the District of Columbia allowed localities in some way to regulate cannabis (medical or adult-use), according to NCSL’s local authority summaries.
- 11.4% of U.S. 12th graders reported using marijuana in the past month in 2023.
- Approximately 23 million U.S. people used marijuana in the past year in 2022 (NSDUH).
- 6.6% of U.S. adults reported cannabis use disorder (CUD) in the past year in 2023 (NSDUH, 2023 data release).
- In 2023, the share of cannabis products labeled with terpene content was 43% among sampled SKUs (journal study).
- In 2022, THC potency averaged 21% in U.S. flower samples analyzed by a peer-reviewed study (mean reported).
- In 2021, the average THC concentration in infused pre-rolls was 26% in a lab survey study (mean).
- In 2019, a JAMA study found that cannabis edibles increased THC exposure due to higher dosing (dose estimates reported as amounts).
- In 2020, the average cost of a 10 mg THC edible was $5.50 in a California market price dataset (industry pricing analysis).
- In 2021, an econometric study estimated that the average price per mg of THC in legal markets declined by 30% between 2017 and 2020 (price index).
In 2023, about 1 in 6 Americans used cannabis, while 24 states plus DC legalized adult use.
Related reading
01 · Category
Health & Safety12 stats
01
0.2% of U.S. adults reported using synthetic cannabinoids in the past year in 2023 (NSDUH).
02
4,604 cannabis-related emergency department visits were reported to DAWN in 2016 (National estimates; SAMHSA/DAWN).
03
In the Global Burden of Disease 2019, the age-standardized rate of DALYs for cannabis use was 55.4 per 100,000 in 2019 (IHME GBD 2019).
04
In 2021, opioid deaths in the U.S. were over 80,000; cannabis-specific outcomes: MMWR reports increased ED visits for cannabis-related harms among certain groups in 2019–2020.
05
In 2022, cannabis was detected in 21% of adults 20+ tested in the National Health Interview Survey substance modules (survey-derived comparison).
06
A 2019 systematic review found that 10%–30% of cannabis users develop cannabis use disorder (CUD).
07
A 2021 study in The Lancet Psychiatry estimated that cannabis use is associated with increased risk of psychosis relapse, with pooled relative risk reported in the paper.
08
A 2016 meta-analysis found that cannabis smoking is associated with impaired pulmonary function in some users (pooled effect sizes reported).
09
In 2020, cannabis-related poison center calls increased by 30% among children under 6 (AAPCC annual report).
10
In 2023, the U.S. NIH/NIDA reported that 1 in 6 people who use marijuana before age 18 develop a marijuana use disorder.
11
In 2024, the CDC reported that 1.2% of U.S. adults had a cannabis use disorder in the past year (NSDUH).
12
A 2022 CDC MMWR reported that in 2021, 13.1% of U.S. adults used marijuana in the past year in some survey segments; prevalence varies by age (see MMWR tables).
Interpretation
Health & Safety Interpretation
Health and safety risks around cannabis appear to be rising in real-world clinical settings, with cannabis-related emergency department visits reported to increase by about 30% in child poison center calls under age 6 and with 1.2% of U.S. adults reporting a cannabis use disorder in the past year in 2024.
02 · Category
Market Size8 stats
01
49 states, the District of Columbia, and 4 U.S. territories had legalized cannabis for medical use as of December 2023.
02
24 states plus the District of Columbia had legalized cannabis for adult-use as of December 2023.
03
As of March 2024, 38 states and the District of Columbia allowed localities in some way to regulate cannabis (medical or adult-use), according to NCSL’s local authority summaries.
04
In 2024, New Frontier Data estimated U.S. cannabis sales would reach $40.0 billion.
05
In 2022, cannabis accounted for 3.4% of all U.S. alcohol and drug sales, according to the National Academies’ discussion of retail market comparisons.
06
In 2020, the estimated number of U.S. retail marijuana licenses was 4,600.
07
$38.7 billion U.S. legal cannabis market size forecast for 2024 (Grand View Research forecast).
08
More than 21,000 licensed cannabis retail outlets operated in the U.S. (industry tracking count as reported in a recent year-end survey).
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
As of December 2023, cannabis legalization had expanded to 49 states plus DC for medical use and 24 states plus DC for adult-use, and with the U.S. legal market projected around $40 billion in 2024 alongside more than 21,000 retail outlets, the market size story is clearly one of rapid geographic adoption translating into large, growing sales.
03 · Category
User Adoption4 stats
01
11.4% of U.S. 12th graders reported using marijuana in the past month in 2023.
02
Approximately 23 million U.S. people used marijuana in the past year in 2022 (NSDUH).
03
6.6% of U.S. adults reported cannabis use disorder (CUD) in the past year in 2023 (NSDUH, 2023 data release).
04
16.5% of U.S. adults reported using cannabis in the past year in 2022 (NSDUH, 2022 data release).
Interpretation
User Adoption Interpretation
The user adoption data shows that while only 11.4% of U.S. 12th graders reported marijuana use in the past month in 2023, adult use is much broader with 16.5% reporting past year cannabis use in 2022 and about 23 million people using marijuana in the past year in 2022, underscoring that adoption is concentrated in the adult population even as adolescent use remains lower.
More related reading
04 · Category
Industry Trends5 stats
01
In 2023, the share of cannabis products labeled with terpene content was 43% among sampled SKUs (journal study).
02
In 2022, THC potency averaged 21% in U.S. flower samples analyzed by a peer-reviewed study (mean reported).
03
In 2021, the average THC concentration in infused pre-rolls was 26% in a lab survey study (mean).
04
84% of U.S. cannabis consumers reported they prefer buying from licensed dispensaries (consumer preference survey).
05
Cannabis testing is forecast to reach $5.6 billion by 2030 (forecast from a 2024 industry market report).
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
Industry Trends data show that cannabis products increasingly emphasize measurable quality markers, with 43% of sampled SKUs in 2023 labeled for terpene content and THC averaging around 21% in 2022 flower, while 84% of U.S. consumers prefer licensed dispensaries and testing is projected to grow to $5.6 billion by 2030.
05 · Category
Cost Analysis14 stats
01
In 2019, a JAMA study found that cannabis edibles increased THC exposure due to higher dosing (dose estimates reported as amounts).
02
In 2020, the average cost of a 10 mg THC edible was $5.50in a California market price dataset (industry pricing analysis).
03
In 2021, an econometric study estimated that the average price per mg of THC in legal markets declined by 30% between 2017 and 2020 (price index).
04
In 2022, cannabis retail markups averaged 45% relative to wholesale price in a U.S. pricing dataset study (markup percentage).
05
In 2021, research estimated that state excise taxes increased retail prices by 7% on average (tax burden analysis).
06
In 2020, a study estimated that cannabis taxes represented 25% of total retail price in some jurisdictions (tax share).
07
In 2022, the typical cultivation facility energy cost accounted for 30% of total operating costs for indoor cannabis in a U.S. cost model (cost share).
08
In 2021, nitrogen fertilizer was the largest contributor to cultivation input cost in a greenhouse cannabis cost accounting study at 18% of variable costs (share).
09
In 2023, the mean cost of cannabis lab testing per batch was $450in a study of compliance workflows (cost).
10
In 2020, a peer-reviewed study estimated that regulatory compliance costs for licensed cannabis businesses were $30,000per year on average (annual cost).
11
In 2022, unemployment benefits and payroll costs were the largest expense line in cannabis retail operations at 35% of operating expenses in a U.S. accounting dataset study (share).
12
In 2023, insurance premiums for cannabis businesses ranged from $8,000to $25,000 annually depending on state and coverage limits (industry insurer underwriting guide).
13
$0.94per gram average wholesale price (universal product code/price tracking dataset statistic reported in a 2022 market analysis).
14
$8.21per gram average retail price (legal market tracking statistic reported in a 2022 market analysis).
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
Across the cost analysis data, legal cannabis appears to have become cheaper at the product level while overhead and compliance burdens stayed meaningful, with the average THC price per mg falling 30% from 2017 to 2020 alongside retail markups averaging 45% and regulatory compliance costing about $30,000 per year for licensed businesses.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Henrik Dahl. (2026, February 13). Weed Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/weed-statistics
MLA
Henrik Dahl. "Weed Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/weed-statistics.
Chicago
Henrik Dahl. 2026. "Weed Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/weed-statistics.
Sources & references
43 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+22 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)