Alcohol Use is Down, Cannabis Use is Up – Is There a Correlation?
A recent Gallup poll found that 54% of US adults drink alcohol. The latest data represents the lowest percentage since Gallup began tracking in 1939. In 2024, 58% of adults drank alcohol, and in 2023 62% indulged. The perceived reason for the decline is that beliefs about the health risks of alcohol have changed. More than half of all US adults now think moderate drinking is bad for their health. Of note, cannabis use is on a historic rise. Inquiring minds want to know if there is a correlation between the two. Is cannabis replacing alcohol as the drug of use?Â
Of Note:
- Alcohol consumption is declining across sweeping areas of the US population, especially among women, younger adults, and Republicans.
- Cannabis use is rising historically among adults aged 19-50.
- Women’s cannabis use is growing rapidly, with young women reporting higher use than young men.
Alcohol Use is Down, Cannabis Use is Up – Is There a Correlation?
Sanford Behavioral Health Director of Admissions, Jacob Passerman, says, “When cannabis is involved, the calls we get on the Sanford admissions lines indicate cannabis goes together with alcohol or other drugs. At Sanford, it is less common to see cannabis use disorder without other mental health issues involved. Having said that, we do get frequent calls from family members saying a loved one is using cannabis daily or very frequently – negatively impacting life for the family.”
Jacob’s observations follow a recent Carnegie Mellon study that found that among US adult cannabis users, there was a 120% increase in “past-year” use and a 218% increase in use from 2008 to 2022. High-frequency cannabis users are much more common than high-frequency alcohol users among the study population (1.6 million adult respondents across 27 surveys).
“While far more people drink than use cannabis, high-frequency drinking is less common. In 2022, the median drinker reported drinking on 4-5 days in the previous month, versus using cannabis on 15-16 days in the previous month. In 2022, prior-month cannabis consumers were almost four times as likely to report daily or near-daily use (42% versus 11%) and 7.4 times more likely to report daily use (28% versus 3.8%).” From Changes in Self-Reported Cannabis Use in the US
Is there a connection between the decrease in alcohol use and the rise in cannabis use?
There are several National Institutes of Health studies that try to unpack the connection between alcohol use decline and cannabis use increases. The evidence is mixed so far. Some findings suggest substitution, while others indicate complementary use, and still others find neither. We can conclude that alcohol use is down and that concerns about health risk have increased. Also, we can conclude that cannabis use is sharply rising and that long-term trends correspond to changes in cannabis policy. We cannot yet conclude that the rise in cannabis use is a driver in the decline in alcohol use.
Studies also found:
- In post-legalization patterns, cannabis and alcohol were complementary. [NIH Study]
- A modest decline in alcohol sales after the legalization of cannabis. [Wiley Study]
- In some heavy-drinking populations, using cannabis before drinking alcohol reduced the amount of alcohol consumed. [Science Direct Study]
Switching Addictions with Compensatory Behaviors
There is a growing body of research showing that people use cannabis as a substitute or compensatory drug after or during opioid and alcohol related problems. However, evidence is mostly observational, and high-quality clinical trials are scarce. We consulted with Sanford Behavioral Health’s Clinical Director, Tessa Sterling, LMSW, to discuss compensatory behaviors in mental health treatment and recovery.
Tessa Sterling said, “When someone stops misusing one substance, like alcohol, it’s common to see them pick up another, like cannabis. On the surface, it looks like progress (alcohol was killing me, and now, with cannabis, I can cope), but clinically, we call this a compensatory behavior. Our brains and bodies are wired to seek regulation, and addictive substances are shortcuts to calm emotions, reduce anxiety, distract from trauma, and create a sense of relief. For a period, they might serve the purpose. But when someone quits misusing alcohol and starts using cannabis heavily, the nervous system is being soothed in a maladaptive way. The original problems are still there.
At Sanford Behavioral Health, recovery is not just about taking away a substance. It is also about learning healthier ways to regulate emotions and the nervous system. Most people don’t learn coping strategies or healthy communication strategies. We provide access to specialized programs that support mental health and overall well-being. Without day-to-day recovery strategies, people can swap one coping mechanism for another, like a whack-a-mole game. Importantly, there are safer ways to create internal regulation strategies than by substituting one addictive substance for another.”
If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, eating disorders, or a mental health condition, don’t wait to change your life – click the link below to speak with an admissions specialist. Talk to a real person and enter treatment 24/7.
