National survey maps how cannabis use methods vary by age, race, sex, and income in the US

Smoking was most common (77.3%), followed by edibles (37.3%), vaping (34.8%), dabbing (15.0%), topicals (5.9%), sublingual (4.5%), and pills (2.1%). Women had lower odds of smoking (OR 0.65) and higher odds of topical use (OR 2.92). Black adults had higher odds of smoking (OR 2.03), lower odds of edibles (OR 0.66), and dramatically higher odds of blunt use (OR 5.31). Adults 50+ had higher odds of sublingual use (OR 2.45).

Combined 2022-2023 NSDUH data on 16,999 adults reporting past 30-day cannabis use. Weighted proportions and multivariable logistic regression examined seven use modalities (smoking, vaping, dabbing, edibles, pills, topicals, sublingual) across demographics. A subanalysis of 12,355 adults examined blunt use.

Different cannabis consumption methods carry different health risks: smoking and blunt use involve combustion, vaping has its own respiratory concerns, and edibles carry dosing risks. Understanding who uses which methods is essential for targeted public health messaging.

The stark racial disparities in use methods, particularly the 5.3-fold higher blunt use among Black adults, has direct health implications since blunts combine cannabis with tobacco. These disparities likely reflect cultural factors, product access, and marketing patterns rather than inherent preferences, and should inform harm reduction strategies.

Self-reported data subject to recall and social desirability bias. Cross-sectional design cannot track changes over time. NSDUH may underrepresent some populations. The seven modality categories may not capture all emerging products. State-level differences in legal markets were only partially accounted for.