Cannabis Column - #47

Jon Gettman is a long time contributor to HIGH TIMES. A former National Director of NORML, Jon has a Ph.D. in public policy and regional economic development and consults with attorneys, advocates, and non-profits on cannabis related research and public policy issues. On October 8, 2002, along with a coalition of organizations, he filed a new petition to have cannabis rescheduled under federal law. This column will track that petition's progress.

Where There's Smoke...

Marijuana use is more popular in some parts of the United States and less widespread in others.

Efforts to legalize marijuana depend, in some part, on getting people who use marijuana more involved in the political process. This is, after all, how our government works. People with the most to gain from changes in laws and policies band together to build public support their agenda.

Regardless of the benefits marijuana’s legalization presents to the rest of the public it is marijuana users who will benefit the most from it. Legalization will bring down the price of marijuana and, more importantly, end arrests for marijuana’s use and cultivation. 

Support for legalization, therefore, will vary throughout the country based in part on the prevalence, or number of, marijuana smokers in various regions. Support for marijuana’s legalization burns the brightest where marijuana use is most popular. Where’s there’s smoke there’s fire, in this case a fire for reform, and mobilizing this burning desire presents the greatest potential for transforming America’s marijuana policies into more just, fair, and effective laws.

So, where is the smoke – marijuana smoke that is – the greatest?

The best information so far comes, ironically, from the federal government, which conducts annual surveys of marijuana use in the United States. Yes, it seems a little odd that when asked, people will admit to the government that they use marijuana in violation of the law. But the surveys are confidential and whatever their limitations they provide reasonable if not minimal estimates of the extent and popularity of marijuana use in this country. The survey is designed to provide national estimates of marijuana use, and for example it is the source for the estimates that over 25 million people use marijuana on an annual basis, that is, at least once a year.

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) is also used to provide estimates of marijuana use in specific states and, of interest here, in what the government refers to as “substate regions.” So in addition to survey data on the entire nation, on all 50 states and the District of Columbia, NSDUH is also a source for data on marijuana use in 377 substate regions of the United States. Since the last report on substate marijuana use was produced from surveys in 2002 through 2004 this data is a little dated, however it still provides some pretty clear answers about where marijuana use is the most popular in the country.

Looking at the statewide data first we can get a general idea of where marijuana use is the most widespread. We can also use national marijuana use as a baseline for comparison.  In this collection of data we’re looking at monthly marijuana use, use reported in the most recent 30 days, often interpreted as an indicator of current marijuana use. Nationally 6.1% of the population reported marijuana use in the last 30 days during this survey period (2002 through 2004). The state with the greatest reported prevalence of marijuana use is Alaska, where 10.34% of the population reported monthly marijuana use.

After Alaska, the top five states include New Hampshire (9.60%), Vermont (9.54%), Rhode Island (9.50%), and Montana (8.54%). The top ten is rounded out by Oregon (8.36%), Washington DC (8.27%), Maine (7.98%), New Mexico (7.79%), and Colorado (7.76%). New England is obviously well represented here and as a region has the highest marijuana use in the country. Unsurprisingly, Massachusetts is ranked 11^th with monthly use at 7.74%.

The Top 50 substate regions with the greatest prevalence of monthly marijuana use in the United States are located in 19 states and the District of Columbia.

Two areas of Western Montana comprised of a total of 19 counties are ranked 12^th and 16^th in the nation with monthly marijuana use at about 9.6%. Bernalillo County in New Mexico is ranked 22^nd at 9.2%, and Washoe County in NW Nevada is ranked 33^rd at 9%. The Boulder/Denver region of Colorado is 42^nd in the nation at 8.6%.

In Florida the region composed of 14 counties in the central panhandle in the northwestern part of the state has a prevalence of monthly marijuana use of 9.2%, 24^th in the nation.

Four of the eight wards in the District of Columbia are in the Top 50 with monthly marijuana use ranging from 8.9% to 9.6%. These parts of the nation’s capital include the downtown area, the Adams/Morgan and Dupont Circle area, Capitol Hill, and Anacostia and are ranked 14^th, 19^th, 31^st, and 34^th nationwide.

The seven counties area in northwest Kentucky, just east of Bluegrass Country, is another area where marijuana use is especially popular, ranked 45^th in the nation with monthly marijuana use of 8.4%. Montgomery County in Ohio is 15^th in the nation with monthly use by 9.5% of the population.

Three areas of Michigan make the Top 50. The Pathways area in the eastern Upper Peninsula is 29^th at 9.1%. The Detroit area is 27^th at 9.1%, and Genesee County is 21^st at 9.2%.

New York has 16 substate regions for local survey data on marijuana use, and 6 of them rank in the Top 50 in the nation. Region 15 is comprised of 9 counties including Allegany and Seneca counties and is ranked 48^th at 8.3%. Region 11 is comprised of 5 counties including Livingston and Monroe counties and is ranked 44^th at 8.5%. Region 5 has 5 counties including Oswego and is ranked 41^st at 8.8%. Region 10 includes Broome, Chemung, Tioga, and Tompkins Counties and is ranked 30^th at 9.1%. Region 8 includes 7 counties including Albany and Schenectady and is 11^th at 10%.  And of course, Manhattan rounds out the list of New York regions where marijuana is popular. In Manhattan marijuana is used monthly by 10.7% of the population, giving it a ranking of 6^th in the nation.

It will surprise no one to discover that marijuana use is popular in California, Oregon, Alaska, and Hawaii.

The area from the San Francisco Bay east to the border and north to Oregon is comprised of 4 regions all of which rank in the top fifty. El Dorado, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, Sierra, Solano, Sonoma, Sutter, Yolo, and Yuba Counties comprise Region 2 and they rank 50^th in the nation at 8.2%. Alameda and Contra Costa Counties are Region 5; they rank 40^th at 8.9%. Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo Counties are Region 4 and rank 25^th at 9.2%. Region 1 in California consists of Mendocino, Lake, Colusa, Butte, Plumas Counties and every county north to the Oregon border. Here monthly marijuana use is ranked 2^nd in the United States at 11.4% of the population.

In Oregon, Region 3 is comprised of 10 counties in the northwestern part of the state, not including Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington County. Region 3 is ranked 47^th at 8.3%. Multinomah County is ranked 3^rd in the nation at 11.1%. (Nearby Clackamas and Washington come in at 87^th in the rankings.)

Three areas in Alaska are ranked in the top 10 in the nation. The Gulf Coast region, which includes Kenai Peninsula, is ranked 10^th at 10%. The Southeast region, which includes Juneau, is ranked 9^th at 10.5%. The Urban region of Alaska, which includes Fairbanks and Anchorage, is ranked 7^th with 10.7% monthly marijuana use.

The Big Island of Hawaii in our 50^th state is ranked 20^th in the nation with 9.2% monthly marijuana use. The islands of Maui and Kauai are ranked 5^th, with 10.9% of the population using marijuana on a monthly basis.

As indicated above by the state-level data, marijuana use is the most popular in the continental United States in the New England area. Eighteen of the Top 50 local areas are located in New England. Northwestern Connecticut comes in at 39^th at 8.88%. Western Massachusetts is 38^th at 8.9%. The Boston area is 12^th at 9.7%. In Maine, Cumberland County is 22^nd at 9.2%, Penobscot is 27^th at 9.1%; Androscoggin and Kennebec Counties are 34^th at 8.92%.

Four of five New Hampshire regions are in the Top 50, and the fifth area is ranked 52^nd in the nation. Cheshire and Hillsborough Counties are ranked 8^th at 10.7% and Rockingham County is 17^th at 9.5%. All 4 regions of Vermont are in the Top 50, and the Champlain Valley area of Addison, Chittenden, Franklin and Grand Isle Counties is ranked 4^th at 11%.

All of Rhode Island is also in the Top 50. Kent County is 49^th on the list with monthly use at 8.26%. Bristol and Newport Counties come next with use at 9.16%, ranked 26^th in the nation. Providence County is ranked 18^th at 9.39%.

Finally, the place where marijuana use is the most popular in the United States is Washington County, Rhode Island. Here 12.01% of the population, roughly 1 out of every 8 people, uses marijuana on a monthly basis, giving the county the top ranking in the nation.

Anyone familiar with trends in marijuana reform will recognize many of these locations. In addition to high levels of marijuana use most of them are distinguished by their leadership in considering and/or passage of reform legislation at the state of local level, reforms such as decriminalizing marijuana possession and providing protection for medical cannabis use.

This political leadership is justifiably a source of pride for marijuana consumers in these areas, as it should be. But it also presents a valuable lesson for the marijuana consumers in the rest of the country. When politicians are confronted by citizens who stand up for their rights they respond, not with suppression, but with reform and accommodation.

When it comes to marijuana use, where there’s smoke, there’s fire – the fire of reform, justice, and change. Marijuana’s legalization is not a pipe dream, it’s the future, and the popularity of marijuana and reform of marijuana laws in these areas of the country demonstrate that it’s a future that is within reach for the rest of the nation. As is clear from these local areas, resistance is the foundation of change.