Analysts See ‘Sudden Spike’ In Use Of Marijuana As An Alcohol Alternative

Americans are continuing to use marijuana as a substitute for other drugs, with analysts reporting a “sudden spike” in the consumption of cannabis as an alternative to alcohol in 2024.

An analysis of new survey data from Bloomberg Intelligence (BI) that was released on Tuesday found that substitution of cannabis for alcohol is “soaring” as the state-level legalization movement expands and relative perceptions of harm shift. A significant portion of Americans also said in the poll that they substitute marijuana for cigarettes and pain killers.

Cannabis consumers “say they substitute the drug mostly for alcohol, cigarettes and analgesics, which is consistent” with an earlier survey conducted in 2022, BI said. “Of note, though, is the sudden spike in the substitution of marijuana for alcohol, cited by about 44 percent of respondents in the latest survey, up sharply from 33 percent in 2022.”

Compared to past surveys, however, the analysts said there was less substitution of cannabis for cigarettes (30 percent versus 39 percent) and pain killers (30 percent versus 35 percent) in 2024 compared to 2022.

“The results may prompt additional interest in cannabis from alcoholic beverage producers,” the report says. “More + Large consumer-products companies Altria, Constellation Brands, British American Tobacco and Imperial Brands have formed joint ventures or acquired stakes in Canadian cannabis producers, with plans to enter the U.S. when permissible on the federal level.”

The expansion of the state-level marijuana market has put pressure on alcohol beverage producers, according to the BI analysis. The firm’s survey involved interviews with more than 2,500 Americans in mid-December.

“Our findings revealed that more than half of US marijuana consumers substitute the drug for beer and spirits, while nearly half use it in place of wine,” it said. “The survey findings across categories have been relatively steady since 2022.”

Relatedly, a separate BI analysis from September projected that the expansion of the marijuana legalization movement will continue to post a “significant threat” to the alcohol industry, citing survey data that suggests more people are using cannabis as a substitute for alcoholic beverages such a beer and wine.

That report estimated that the combined influence of cannabis access and shifts in consumer demand for certain alcoholic product types accounts for a 16 percent share valuation discount offered by the beverage company Constellation Brands, which owns major brands including Corona, Modelo, Pacifico and Casa Nobel Tequila.

A separate study on the impact of marijuana consumption on people’s use of other drugs that was released last month suggested that, for many, cannabis may act as a less-dangerous substitute, allowing people to reduce their intake of substances such as alcohol, methamphetamine and opioids like morphine.

Another study out of Canada, where marijuana is federally legal, found that legalization was “associated with a decline in beer sales,” suggesting a substitution effect.

The analyses comport with other recent survey data that more broadly looked at American views on marijuana versus alcohol. For example, a Gallup survey found that respondents view cannabis as less harmful than alcohol, tobacco and nicotine vapes—and more adults now smoke cannabis than smoke cigarettes.

A separate survey released by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and Morning Consult last June also found that Americans consider marijuana to be significantly less dangerous than cigarettes, alcohol and opioids—and they say cannabis is less addictive than each of those substances, as well as technology.

Additionally, a poll released in July found that more Americans smoke marijuana on a daily basis than drink alcohol every day—and that alcohol drinkers are more likely to say they would benefit from limiting their use than cannabis consumers are.

Similarly, a separate study published in May in the journal Addiction that similarly found that there are more U.S. adults who use marijuana daily than who drink alcohol every day.

Outside of alcohol, a recent study also found that marijuana has a “great deal of potential” to treat opioid use disorder.

“Upon a review of the literature, it is reasonable to conclude that cannabis has some efficacy in the setting of opiate maintenance, as well as other therapeutic uses,” that paper said. In light of public concerns over opioid overdoses and the possibility of marijuana being rescheduled, it added, “there is a distinct possibility that cannabis use in harm reduction models will increase.”