Daily cannabis use overtakes drinking in US first

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Prevalence of Daily Drinking

  • Many are surprised by the figure of ~14.7M daily drinkers in the US; some think it’s suspiciously low (<5% of adults), others think it’s high for “daily” use.
  • Several note alcohol use is highly skewed: a small minority consumes a large share of total alcohol.
  • Personal anecdotes show large variation: some know almost no daily drinkers; others report work cultures (e.g., construction, manual labor, some European contexts) where daily drinking is common.

Trends in Alcohol Consumption

  • Some posters perceive a real trend toward “less drinking,” especially among younger people and in favor of “California sober” (weed instead of alcohol).
  • Others argue overall substance use is just shifting (more drugs in general), and cite per-capita data suggesting no clear decline in alcohol.
  • Survey self-report bias is flagged: willingness to report cannabis use may have risen as stigma eased.

Comparing Harms: Alcohol vs Cannabis

  • Many see cannabis as clearly less harmful than alcohol, especially regarding organ damage, overdose, violence, and calories.
  • Others emphasize that daily cannabis use is underestimated as harmful, with examples of social and motivational deterioration.
  • Some stress that both can be addictive; benefits only if cannabis actually substitutes for, rather than adds to, alcohol.

Psychosis and Mental Health

  • Several note “cannabis-induced psychosis” and possible links to schizophrenia; strong edibles are viewed as particularly risky.
  • There’s debate over how proven and common this is, and whether cannabis causes psychosis or triggers it in vulnerable people.
  • One subthread disputes the value of anecdotal evidence vs formal studies.

Driving and Public Safety

  • Concerns raised about driving while high, especially delivery drivers; some fear a return to high levels of impaired driving.
  • Others mention research claiming increased traffic fatalities after legalization.

Quality of Life and Daily Use

  • Former daily drinkers describe major benefits after quitting: better sleep, mood, blood pressure, motivation, and relationships.
  • Several propose that if someone “has to do something,” moderate or edible cannabis is preferable to alcohol, but daily use of any drug is seen as risky.

Smell, Nuisance, and Public Norms

  • Multiple comments complain about pervasive cannabis odor in cities, at least anecdotally (others call this exaggerated or location-dependent).
  • Comparisons made to tobacco: some feel we “replaced” tobacco smoke with weed smoke.
  • Many wish more users would switch to edibles or vaping to reduce secondhand nuisance.