These 10 States Smoke The Most Weed Of All 50 U.S. States—Did Your State Make The Top 10?

Chances are that if you live in one of these ten states, you or someone you know smokes weed regularly. These ten states lead the nation in marijuana consumption (per capita), and I don’t know about you bros but I did NOT expect the top 6 to look the way it does.

Using the most recent census data and data from SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), the folks over at CheatSheet were able to put together a state’s rankings in a way that didn’t require me to click on 50 different PDF files (seriously, wtf is up with that SAMHSA?):

Based on the most recent data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the most recent Census population data, these 10 states have the highest marijuana use per capita among the 18-and-older population:

1. Alaska: 68,000 people over 18 have used marijuana during the past month. This represents about 13.01% of the Alaska population.

2. Rhode Island: 107,000 people over 18 have used marijuana during the past month. This represents about 12.91% of the Rhode Island population.

3. Vermont: With 64,000 adult users during the past month, 12.89% of the population can be called marijuana users.

4. Oregon: With a large marijuana-using population — 370,000 — this represents 12.48% of Oregon’s adult population.

5. District of Columbia: There are around 53,000 marijuana users over the age of 18 in D.C., which makes for a percentage of 10.58%.

6. Montana: Montana has right around the same adult use percentage as D.C., but the state has 81,000 adult users.

7. Colorado: With just under 400,000 adult users, 10.49% of the adult population uses marijuana.

8. Washington: There are 532,000 adult users in Washington, which makes for a 10.34% use rate.

9. Massachusetts: With 475,000 adult users, around 9.26% of the adult population uses marijuana in this northeastern state.

10. California: With more than 2.5 million users, one would think that California would have the highest use rate. But, the state comes in at number 10, with a 9.15% use rate.

First thoughts: using the most recent Census data is from 2012. Therefore Colorado, Washington, and now Alaska, and the District of Columbia aren’t properly represented. As the aforementioned states have since legalized recreational marijuana for users 21 and up a whole new breed of pot smoker has come out of the works, one who was previously afraid of breaking the law or chose to honor our nation’s laws, and has now embraced legalized marijuana.

Secondly, Rhode Island?! Really?! I guess if it’s based on population then you have Brown University and Rhode Island School of Design accounting for like 95% of the entire stat’s population (feel free to quote me on that), and therefore the prevalence of pot smoking college kids is driving up the overall percentage of the state.

Thirdly, WTF California? What happened to upholding your reputation as the ‘Weed State’? You barely cracked the top 10! I speak for everyone when I say we’re very, very ashamed in you.

[CheatSheet]