Edible Cannabis Use Surges 35% After Recreational Legalization
After recreational cannabis legalization, the likelihood of using edible/drinkable cannabis increased by 35% compared to smoking and 33% compared to vaping, with the biggest shifts among males and middle-aged/older adults.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Post-legalization, the likelihood of eating/drinking cannabis vs. smoking increased by 35% (aRRR=1.35, 95% CI=1.20-1.52) and vs. vaping by 33% (aRRR=1.33, 95% CI=1.14-1.55), with similar patterns after retail sales began, and larger increases among males and middle-aged/older adults.
Key Numbers
N=69,109 cannabis users; 37 states; 2017-2023; smoking declined but remained dominant (62.7% in 2023); edibles 21.5%; vaping 15.8%; edible vs smoking aRRR=1.35; edible vs vaping aRRR=1.33; larger effects among males and older adults
How They Did This
Multinomial logit regression analysis of 69,109 adults reporting past-month cannabis use from 37 states in the 2017-2023 BRFSS, linked to recreational cannabis legalization and retail sales data, with state/year fixed effects.
Why This Research Matters
Edibles present unique risks including delayed onset, overconsumption, and accidental ingestion by children — making this shift in consumption patterns a critical public health signal as legalization expands.
The Bigger Picture
The shift toward edibles represents a fundamental change in how Americans consume cannabis, with implications for poisoning risks, dosing education, product regulation, and healthcare provider counseling.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
BRFSS measures primary mode only (not all modes used); self-report; cannot distinguish product types within edibles; state-level variation; cannot separate legalization from commercialization and product availability effects.
Questions This Raises
- ?Does the edible shift reduce smoking-related harms?
- ?Are edible-related ER visits increasing proportionally?
- ?Do older adults choosing edibles face unique dosing risks?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Evidence Grade:
- Large nationally representative sample of cannabis users with quasi-experimental design and consistent findings across legalization and retail sales analyses.
- Study Age:
- Published 2026; covers 2017-2023 across 37 US states.
- Original Title:
- Increasing use of cannabis edibles in response to recreational cannabis legalization in the United States.
- Published In:
- Preventive medicine, 204, 108508 (2026)
- Authors:
- Hawkins, Summer Sherburne(3), Baidoo, Christopher E(3), Coley, Rebekah Levine(3), Centanni, Ryan S, Baum, Christopher F
- Database ID:
- RTHC-08328
Evidence Hierarchy
Frequently Asked Questions
Are more people eating cannabis after legalization?
Yes — after recreational legalization, the likelihood of using edible/drinkable cannabis increased by 35% compared to smoking. By 2023, edibles were the primary method for about 1 in 5 cannabis users.
What are the risks of edible cannabis?
Edibles have delayed onset (30-90 minutes), making overconsumption easy, and are often in forms attractive to children. The shift toward edibles after legalization means public health education about proper dosing and safe storage is increasingly important.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-08328APA
Hawkins, Summer Sherburne; Baidoo, Christopher E; Coley, Rebekah Levine; Centanni, Ryan S; Baum, Christopher F. (2026). Increasing use of cannabis edibles in response to recreational cannabis legalization in the United States.. Preventive medicine, 204, 108508. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2026.108508
MLA
Hawkins, Summer Sherburne, et al. "Increasing use of cannabis edibles in response to recreational cannabis legalization in the United States.." Preventive medicine, 2026. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2026.108508
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Increasing use of cannabis edibles in response to recreation..." RTHC-08328. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/hawkins-2026-increasing-use-of-cannabis
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.