Marijuana consumption increased from 2006 to 2010

The use of cocaine dropped sharply across the United States from 2006 to 2010, while the amount of marijuana consumed increased significantly during the same period, according to a new report.

Studying illegal drug use nationally from 2000 to 2010, researchers found the amount of marijuana consumed by Americans increased by more than 30 percent from 2006 to 2010, while cocaine consumption fell by about half.

The surge in marijuana use appears to be related to an increase in the number of people who reported using the drug on a daily or near-daily basis.

Source: Brief - How big is the U.S. market for illegal drugs?

If observations about the illegal marijuana market are to inform what to expect from the legal marijuana market, most business profits and state tax revenue likely will come from people who are high several times per week.