An estimated 1.2 million people in Britain are using cannabis every day, according to a new study that also found middle-aged adults are twice as likely to use the drug daily compared to those aged 18 to 24.
Researchers from King’s College London, the University of Bath and Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) analysed data from national online surveys completed by more than 25,000 British adults, focusing on self-reported cannabis use in the past year and daily use.
Daily use more common among older adults
About one in every 14 adults (7.2%) reported using cannabis in the past year, with younger adults more likely to report any use in the last year. However, nearly a quarter (24%) of those who had used cannabis in the past year reported daily use.
People older than 24 were more likely to report daily use, with those aged 35 to 54 more than twice as likely to report daily use compared to 18 to 24-year-olds. Those aged 25 to 34 and over 55s were also more likely to report daily use than younger adults, the authors wrote in the journal Addiction.
Who is most affected
The study found smoking cannabis was more common among people who were out of work and people who also smoke tobacco.
Dr Hannah Walsh, co-lead author and research associate at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience at King’s College London, said: “How often people use cannabis matters as much as whether they use it at all, because using every day or nearly every day carries a greater risk of physical and mental health harms.
“Our findings suggest this pattern is more common among people in mid-life, people out of work and people who also smoke tobacco. This gives a much clearer picture of who might benefit most from support, for example, those accessing employment or stop smoking services.”
Dr Elle Wadsworth, co-lead author from the University of Bath, said: “Knowing whether someone uses cannabis or not only tells part of the story, because someone who uses cannabis once or twice a year is very different from someone who uses it every day. We chose to look at frequency of use so that we can better understand patterns of consumption and identify people who may be more likely to benefit from support.”
Implications for services
Hazel Cheeseman, chief executive of Ash, said: “This research challenges some common assumptions about cannabis use. While younger adults are more likely to use cannabis, frequent use is more common among older age groups and people who smoke tobacco.
“Smoking cannabis, especially mixed with tobacco, carries health risks and can make it harder to quit nicotine. Stop-smoking services have an opportunity to identify and support people who also use cannabis, and drug treatment services should talk to people about their tobacco use. Tackling the harms of both needs a more joined-up approach.”
