According to a new study being published in the upcoming issue of the journal Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, and published online ahead of print by the National Library of Medicine, more than one-third of California adults use marijuana, with most reporting positive effects on their mental, emotional, and physical health.
The research, conducted by scientists at the University of California San Diego as part of the Impact 64 study, analyzed marijuana use patterns among Californians following the legalization of recreational use under Proposition 64. Researchers collected data from more than 15,000 adults between December 2022 and February 2023, with over 4,000 identified as current cannabis users.
Among all respondents, 37% reported using marijuana within the past three months, while 30% were former users and 33% said they had never used marijuana. Among current users, 38% reported using multiple times a day, 33% used four times per week to daily, and 30% used three times per week or less.
The study found that a majority of users consumed multiple forms of cannabis, with flower (80%), vaping products (66%), and edibles (61%) being the most common.
Dispensaries were the dominant source of cannabis, with 77% of users obtaining products from what they believed were licensed outlets. Most consumed marijuana at home (93%) and for entertainment purposes (75%), with common co-use of cannabis with alcohol (36%) or tobacco (24%).
Notably, 82% of current users reported improvements in mental health, 81% in emotional well-being, and 62% in physical health. Despite 78% feeling comfortable discussing marijuana with their primary care provider, just 66% said their doctor was aware of their recreational use. Most users said they rely on the internet (51%) or friends and family (50%) for marijuana-related information, underscoring a gap in clinical communication.
Researchers concluded that daily marijuana use is now common among adults in California, with most users obtaining products from regulated sources. However, they emphasized the need to improve communication between patients and healthcare providers about cannabis use.
