--- description: The rate of marijuana use has doubled from the decade before, according to a new study title: Marijuana Use in America Has Doubled in the Past Decade, Study Says image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltfaa3c3f98232c143/698851098e060102274609a2/marijuana.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [U.S.](/section/us/) ## U.S. Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Drugs](/tag/drugs/) ## Drugs Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Marijuana Use in America Has Doubled in the Past Decade, Study Says ## Video: You Can Now Buy Recreational Marijuana In Oregon [Watch (HLS stream): You Can Now Buy Recreational Marijuana In Oregon](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/q5cMgz1x.m3u8) (1:25)  _Published 2015-10-01. Oregon now will allow the sale of recreational marijuana in limited quantities, but what benefits and challenges likely await the state?_  by [Tanya Basu](/author/tanya-basu/)  ## Tanya Basu Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Oct 22, 2015 1:07 AM CUT  Girl holding marijuana in hand , close-up Girl holding marijuana in hand , close-upGetty Images  by [Tanya Basu](/author/tanya-basu/)  ## Tanya Basu Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Oct 22, 2015 1:07 AM CUT Pot has seen a stark rise in popularity in the U.S. over the past 10 years, according to new research. A [study](http://www.elabs10.com/c.html?ufl=b&rtr=on&s=x8pbgr,2den4,2kek,gacc,igos,fr8b,lkv3 "undefined") published Wednesday in the journal _JAMA Psychiatry_ surveyed over 36,000 adults in 2012–13, asking participants if they had used marijuana in the past year. About 9.5% of respondents said they had used pot — double that of the decade before, when the same question elicited a 4.1% affirmative among 43,000 adults. The report shows the prevalence of pot use increased significantly among middle-aged adults as well as among Native Americans and blacks. While the study did not address reasons for the spike in marijuana use, it’s possible that a change in attitudes and more marijuana-friendly legislation has played a role. A new [Gallup poll](http://time.com/4081755/american-marijuana-legal-poll/ "undefined") shows 58% of Americans were for the legalization of pot across the country, compared with just 12% in 1969, when the survey started. The prevalence of marijuana abuse among a statistically representative sample of all Americans—_not_ just those who used pot—was reported to be 2.9%, up from 1.5% the decade before. That increase is tied to the fact that more people overall are using marijuana than they were a decade ago. But the prevalence of pot abuse among those who have used it in the past year has actually decreased since 2002—to 30% from 35.6%. **Correction:** The original version of this story misstated the prevalence of marijuana abuse over time. Marijuana abuse has decreased since 2002\. The article also misstated which groups saw the most significant increases in marijuana. 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