Individuals think about marijuana to be much less dangerous than alcohol, cigarettes, vapes and different tobacco merchandise, based on new information from Gallup. And on the similar time, hashish use has “surpassed cigarette utilization within the U.S., whereas vaping nonetheless trails each,” the polling agency says.
The survey represents a continuation of a years-long development, with American adults more and more abandoning cigarettes as consciousness of their public well being dangers expands. The information reveals an reverse development for marijuana, with perceptions of hurt lowering as extra states legalize its use and extra adults establish as energetic customers.
Respondents have been requested about seven completely different substances and whether or not they considered them as “very,” “considerably” or “not too/under no circumstances” dangerous. Two in 5 Individuals (40 p.c) mentioned that marijuana was not too, or under no circumstances, dangerous.
That’s 10 instances as many individuals who mentioned that cigarettes have been comparatively innocent (4 p.c) and greater than double the share who mentioned the identical about alcohol (16 p.c).
By way of Gallup.
In the meantime, solely 23 p.c of respondents mentioned marijuana was “very dangerous,” in comparison with 76 p.c for cigarettes, 54 p.c for e-cigarettes, 39 p.c for cigars and 30 p.c for alcohol.
“Marijuana garnered the bottom stage of well being concern compared to different substances, however separate Gallup analysis has proven that three in 4 U.S. adults are very or considerably involved concerning the results marijuana has on younger adults and teenagers who use it recurrently,” the agency’s evaluation, Up to date on Thursday, says.
The survey—which concerned interviews with 1,015 American adults from July 3-27, with a +/-four share level margin of error—was additionally referenced in a separate Gallup report on cigarette and hashish use that was Up to date on Friday.
That ballot discovered that the usage of cigarettes stays steady at a historic low, with simply 12 p.c of adults saying that they’ve smoked a cigarette previously week. A part of that development displays elevated use of e-cigarettes by younger adults, 18 p.c of whom say they vape.
“However marijuana utilization surpasses each of these merchandise amongst younger adults,” Gallup mentioned. “[S]ince 2019, a mean of 27 p.c of 18- to 29-year-olds have mentioned they smoke marijuana.”
Total, totally half of American adults now say they’ve tried hashish not less than as soon as—and 17 p.c say they’ve presently smoke marijuana, which is 5 share factors increased in comparison with charges of present cigarette use. It ought to be famous that the ballot requested about “smoking” hashish, so the overall doubtless excludes present hashish customers who use non-inhalable merchandise like edibles and oils.
“Cigarettes proceed to fall out of favor with Individuals, as solely about one in eight U.S. adults now smoke them. Marijuana utilization has surpassed cigarette utilization within the U.S., whereas vaping nonetheless trails each,” Gallup said. “These modifications appear to be pushed by altering habits amongst younger adults, who usually tend to smoke marijuana and e-cigarettes than cigarettes, and much much less doubtless than younger adults in previous many years to smoke cigarettes.”
“The truth that Individuals typically view cigarettes as essentially the most dangerous of the three means that public well being efforts to discourage cigarette smoking have been getting by way of,” the report says. “Nonetheless, most Individuals view vaping and marijuana as not less than considerably dangerous to well being, and public well being specialists who agree could need to ensure younger adults get these messages too.”
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One other ballot Up to date by the Journal of the American Medical Affiliation (JAMA) this month equally reveals that individuals more and more view smoking marijuana or being uncovered to secondhand hashish smoke as safer than smoking or being close to tobacco smoke.
A separate survey launched by the American Psychiatric Affiliation (APA) and Morning Seek the advice of in June additionally discovered that Individuals think about marijuana to be considerably much less harmful than cigarettes, alcohol and opioids—and so they say hashish is much less addictive than every of these substances, in addition to know-how.
Final 12 months, a survey confirmed that Individuals consider that hashish is much less harmful than alcohol or tobacco. And a separate ballot launched that 12 months discovered that extra Individuals now brazenly admit that they smoke marijuana or eat cannabis-infused edibles than say they’ve smoked cigarettes previously week.
Additionally, a examine Up to date in Might discovered that state-level legalization is related to a “small, often vital longer-run declines in grownup tobacco use.”
In the meantime, a ballot Gallup carried out in 2020 additionally discovered that 70 p.c of Individuals view smoking hashish to be a morally acceptable exercise. That’s increased than their views on the morality of points similar to homosexual relationships, medical testing of animals, the loss of life penalty and abortion.
Photograph courtesy of Mike Latimer.
The publish Individuals View Marijuana As Safer Than Alcohol And Cigarettes As Charges Of Hashish Use Surpass Tobacco Smoking, Gallup Ballot Finds appeared first on Marijuana Second.