Some 30% of American states have legalized recreational marijuana use, with New York becoming the 15th to do so this March. (It has also been legalized in Washington D.C.) This month, the House of Representatives approved a bill to protect banks that service marijuana businesses in states where it is legal from being penalized by federal regulators, with more than 100 Republicans joining the Democratic bloc in supporting the bill. (Here are the 15 states where marijuana is legal.)
These legislative actions at the state and federal level mirror changes in public opinion. According to a 2020 Gallup poll, 68% of Americans support legalizing marijuana. That figure has risen steadily, and particularly in the last two decades, since Gallup first started polling on the issue more than 50 years ago.
Of course, many people have long been smoking marijuana anyway, regardless of its legal status. There’s even a whole film genre about smoking pot — the stoner movie — that includes such classics such as “Slackers” and “Pineapple Express.” (These are 50 movies critics hate but audiences love.)
What states smoke the most pot, legal or not? 24/7 Wall St. has ranked all 50 based on marijuana use. Not surprisingly, people in the most politically liberal states smoke more than those in conservative ones. The No. 1 state for pot use is Vermont, home to Bernie Sanders, one of the most prominent progressives in the country. While pot is already legal in the state, his website still proclaims: “We will legalize marijuana and vacate and expunge past marijuana convictions.”
Click here to see the states where the most people smoke marijuana.
It’s also noteworthy that the top marijuana-using states — including Oregon, Colorado, Maine, and Washington, as well as Vermont — are all fairly rural.
To identify the states where the most people smoke marijuana, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed state-level substance use data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health 2018 – 2019 estimates, which is conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Marijuana use figures are adjusted to population per 10,000, with total 2019 population numbers coming from the United States Census Bureau American Community Survey.
50. South Dakota
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 904 (total: 80,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 520 — 2nd lowest (total: 46,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 102 — 18th lowest (total: 9,000)
> Total population: 884,659
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49. Utah
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 979 (total: 314,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 512 — the lowest (total: 164,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 109 — 23rd highest (total: 35,000)
> Total population: 3,205,958
48. Texas
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 987 (total: 2,862,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 582 — 4th lowest (total: 1,688,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 102 — 19th lowest (total: 297,000)
> Total population: 28,995,881
47. Mississippi
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 998 (total: 297,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 648 — 9th lowest (total: 193,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 91 — 6th lowest (total: 27,000)
> Total population: 2,976,149
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46. Louisiana
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 998 (total: 464,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 637 — 8th lowest (total: 296,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 95 — 10th lowest (total: 44,000)
> Total population: 4,648,794
45. Virginia
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,015 (total: 866,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 655 — 10th lowest (total: 559,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 91 — 7th lowest (total: 78,000)
> Total population: 8,535,519
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44. North Dakota
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,024 (total: 78,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 630 — 7th lowest (total: 48,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 118 — 13th highest (total: 9,000)
> Total population: 762,062
43. Iowa
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,036 (total: 327,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 558 — 3rd lowest (total: 176,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 114 — 15th highest (total: 36,000)
> Total population: 3,155,070
42. Wyoming
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,054 (total: 61,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 605 — 5th lowest (total: 35,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 104 — 23rd lowest (total: 6,000)
> Total population: 578,759
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41. Arkansas
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,120 (total: 338,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 699 — 12th lowest (total: 211,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 96 — 12th lowest (total: 29,000)
> Total population: 3,017,804
40. Tennessee
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,142 (total: 780,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 731 — 15th lowest (total: 499,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 94 — 9th lowest (total: 64,000)
> Total population: 6,829,174
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39. Idaho
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,147 (total: 205,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 699 — 13th lowest (total: 125,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 95 — 11th lowest (total: 17,000)
> Total population: 1,787,065
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38. New Jersey
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,163 (total: 1,033,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 761 — 18th lowest (total: 676,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 100 — 15th lowest (total: 89,000)
> Total population: 8,882,190
37. Nebraska
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,173 (total: 227,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 693 — 11th lowest (total: 134,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 114 — 16th highest (total: 22,000)
> Total population: 1,934,408
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36. Kansas
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,198 (total: 349,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 611 — 6th lowest (total: 178,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 106 — 24th highest (total: 31,000)
> Total population: 2,913,314
35. South Carolina
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,204 (total: 620,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 763 — 20th lowest (total: 393,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 87 — 2nd lowest (total: 45,000)
> Total population: 5,148,714
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34. West Virginia
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,211 (total: 217,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 809 — 22nd lowest (total: 145,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 100 — 16th lowest (total: 18,000)
> Total population: 1,792,147
33. Georgia
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,234 (total: 1,310,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 757 — 17th lowest (total: 804,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 100 — 13th lowest (total: 106,000)
> Total population: 10,617,423
32. Alabama
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,234 (total: 605,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 726 — 14th lowest (total: 356,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 90 — 5th lowest (total: 44,000)
> Total population: 4,903,185
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31. Wisconsin
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,237 (total: 720,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 764 — 21st lowest (total: 445,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 110 — 21st highest (total: 64,000)
> Total population: 5,822,434
30. Kentucky
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,238 (total: 553,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 813 — 23rd lowest (total: 363,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 101 — 17th lowest (total: 45,000)
> Total population: 4,467,673
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29. Missouri
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,243 (total: 763,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 749 — 16th lowest (total: 460,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 106 — 25th highest (total: 65,000)
> Total population: 6,137,428
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28. North Carolina
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,255 (total: 1,316,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 762 — 19th lowest (total: 799,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 90 — 4th lowest (total: 94,000)
> Total population: 10,488,084
27. Oklahoma
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,256 (total: 497,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 824 — 24th lowest (total: 326,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 104 — 22nd lowest (total: 41,000)
> Total population: 3,956,971
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26. Florida
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,259 (total: 2,705,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 860 — 22nd highest (total: 1,848,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 89 — 3rd lowest (total: 191,000)
> Total population: 21,477,737
25. Hawaii
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,285 (total: 182,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 826 — 25th lowest (total: 117,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 78 — the lowest (total: 11,000)
> Total population: 1,415,872
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24. Arizona
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,330 (total: 968,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 914 — 20th highest (total: 665,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 110 — 22nd highest (total: 80,000)
> Total population: 7,278,717
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23. Ohio
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,331 (total: 1,556,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 859 — 23rd highest (total: 1,004,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 112 — 18th highest (total: 131,000)
> Total population: 11,689,100
22. Maryland
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,345 (total: 813,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 920 — 19th highest (total: 556,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 93 — 8th lowest (total: 56,000)
> Total population: 6,045,680
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21. Pennsylvania
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,369 (total: 1,752,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 835 — 24th highest (total: 1,069,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 100 — 14th lowest (total: 128,000)
> Total population: 12,801,989
20. Indiana
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,378 (total: 928,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 960 — 17th highest (total: 646,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 104 — 25th lowest (total: 70,000)
> Total population: 6,732,219
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19. Illinois
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,379 (total: 1,748,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 874 — 21st highest (total: 1,107,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 103 — 21st lowest (total: 131,000)
> Total population: 12,671,821
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18. Minnesota
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,385 (total: 781,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 832 — 25th highest (total: 469,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 112 — 19th highest (total: 63,000)
> Total population: 5,639,632
17. New York
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,476 (total: 2,871,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 939 — 18th highest (total: 1,827,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 104 — 24th lowest (total: 202,000)
> Total population: 19,453,561
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16. Delaware
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,530 (total: 149,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,037 — 15th highest (total: 101,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 103 — 20th lowest (total: 10,000)
> Total population: 973,764
15. Connecticut
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,635 (total: 583,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,060 — 14th highest (total: 378,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 123 — 8th highest (total: 44,000)
> Total population: 3,565,287
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14. California
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,681 (total: 6,641,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,129 — 13th highest (total: 4,459,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 122 — 10th highest (total: 482,000)
> Total population: 39,512,223
13. Montana
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,684 (total: 180,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,254 — 10th highest (total: 134,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 112 — 17th highest (total: 12,000)
> Total population: 1,068,778
12. New Mexico
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,707 (total: 358,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,035 — 16th highest (total: 217,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 119 — 12th highest (total: 25,000)
> Total population: 2,096,829
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11. Michigan
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,767 (total: 1,765,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,174 — 12th highest (total: 1,172,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 135 — 3rd highest (total: 135,000)
> Total population: 9,986,857
10. New Hampshire
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,861 (total: 253,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,221 — 11th highest (total: 166,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 110 — 20th highest (total: 15,000)
> Total population: 1,359,711
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9. Massachusetts
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,912 (total: 1,318,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,287 — 9th highest (total: 887,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 147 — the highest (total: 101,000)
> Total population: 6,892,503
8. Nevada
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,990 (total: 613,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,338 — 7th highest (total: 412,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 117 — 14th highest (total: 36,000)
> Total population: 3,080,156
7. Alaska
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,996 (total: 146,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,381 — 6th highest (total: 101,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 123 — 9th highest (total: 9,000)
> Total population: 731,545
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6. Rhode Island
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 2,001 (total: 212,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,322 — 8th highest (total: 140,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 132 — 5th highest (total: 14,000)
> Total population: 1,059,361
5. Washington
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 2,133 (total: 1,624,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,480 — 4th highest (total: 1,127,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 138 — 2nd highest (total: 105,000)
> Total population: 7,614,893
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4. Maine
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 2,150 (total: 289,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,525 — 3rd highest (total: 205,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 126 — 7th highest (total: 17,000)
> Total population: 1,344,212
3. Colorado
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 2,197 (total: 1,265,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,452 — 5th highest (total: 836,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 120 — 11th highest (total: 69,000)
> Total population: 5,758,736
2. Oregon
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 2,297 (total: 969,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,591 — 2nd highest (total: 671,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 133 — 4th highest (total: 56,000)
> Total population: 4,217,737
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1. Vermont
> Marijuana use (past year) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 2,372 (total: 148,000)
> Marijuana use (past month) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 1,731 — the highest (total: 108,000)
> First marijuana use (past 24 months) per 10,000 people 12 or older: 128 — 6th highest (total: 8,000)
> Total population: 623,989
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