U.S. consumers who use marijuana 2019, by age group

Eighteen to twenty-nine-year-olds were the largest group of current marijuana smokers in the United States in 2019. Roughly a quarter of the age group were current smokers, with usage dipping among older age groups. Seniors were the least likely, with only three percent stating that they were current smokers.

Support for legalization

Although cannabis is still federally illegal, it has been legalized for recreational consumption in 10 states since 2012. Nationwide support for the federal legalization of cannabis has grown every year, with 18 to 34-year-olds being the biggest supporters. Seventy-eight-percent of Americans in that age group supported marijuana legalization in 2018, nearly double the level of support in 2003. Approval of legalization is more than 50 percent among all age groups.

Approval for medical use

Support for the medical usage of cannabis is even higher, and unlike recreational usage, approval levels are very close among all age groups. The average degree of support among all age groups was seventy-four percent. In contrast to the young age of most recreational smokers, in Oregon, one of the first state to legalize recreational cannabis, the highest share of people registered as medical marijuana patients were 55 to 69 years old.