Habits are changing, and as marijuana becomes legal in more states, Americans are opting to smoke the so-called devil's lettuce instead of tobacco-filled cigarettes, according to a new survey.
In a number of states, the legalization of marijuana is on the upcoming ballot as Americans continue to move towards decriminalizing for recreational use.
A new Gallup poll has found that Americans are getting high more than ever before as the drug has become extremely popular.
The poll found that 16% of Americans reported smoking marijuana in the past week, while only 11% reported smoking a tobacco cigarette.
The popularity of marijuana has grown exponentially over the last 50 years as Americans continue to flock to the substance while quitting tobacco, a topsy-turvy turnaround that no one would have predicted in past decades.
For example, a Gallup poll from 1969 found that only 4% of Americans admitted to having tried weed in their lives, while today, that number is 48%.
That same year 40% of Americans said they smoked cigarettes in the same week, the lowest percentage at the time from 1944 to 1972.
But the trend hasn't changed overnight, as popularity for both have been going in opposite directions over the last few decades.
From 1969 to 1985, the reports of having tried weed jumped from 4% to 33%, and those who had smoked tobacco in the last week dropped to 35%. By 2013 the number of those reporting they smoked cigarettes in the previous week declined to just 19%, and those who smoked weed jumped to 7%.
One reason for the trend is young people who continue to drive it in its current direction. Last week, a survey reported that among young adults ages 19 to 30, 11% reported using marijuana daily.
The National Institutes of Health conducted the survey and found that 43% reported having used weed in the past year.
Data from the survey also showed that daily marijuana use has nearly doubled over the past decade in this age group, while those who reported using in the past year jumped almost 50%.
The Gallup poll also found similar results, with 30% of respondents under the age of 35 admitting they smoked marijuana this year. The number for those aged 35 to 54 was 16% and 7% for those 55 and older.
When looking at those who smoke tobacco, the trend goes the other direction, with only 8% of those under 35 reporting smoking cigarettes at least once a week, while that number was 10% for 35-54-year-olds and 14% for those 55 and older.
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