607. Is America Switching From Booze to Weed?
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We have always been a nation of drinkers — but now there are more daily users of cannabis than alcohol. Considering alcohol’s harms, maybe that’s a good thing. But some people worry that the legalization of cannabis has outpaced the research. (Part one of a four-part series).)

• SOURCES:

• Jon Caulkins), professor of operations research and public policy at Carnegie Mellon University.

• Yasmin Hurd), director of the Addiction Institute at Mount Sinai.

• Michael Siegel), professor of public health and community medicine at Tufts University.

• Tom Standage), deputy editor of The Economist.

• Ryan Stoa), associate professor of law at Louisiana State University.

• RESOURCES:

• "Cannabis Tops Alcohol as Americans’ Daily Drug of Choice)," by Christina Caron (*The New York Times, *2024).

• "Deaths from Excessive Alcohol Use — United States, 2016–2021)," by Marissa B. Esser, Adam Sherk, Yong Liu, and Timothy S. Naimi (*Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, *2024).

• "Nixon Started the War on Drugs. Privately, He Said Pot Was ‘Not Particularly Dangerous),'" by Ernesto Londoño (*The New York Times, *2024).

• "A Brief Global History of the War on Cannabis)," by Ryan Stoa (*The MIT Press Reader, *2020).

• Craft Weed: Family Farming and the Future of the Marijuana Industry)*, *by Ryan Stoa (2018).

• "How the Sugar Industry Shifted Blame to Fat)," by Anahad O’Connor (*The New York Times, *2016).

• "The Perils of Ignoring History: Big Tobacco Played Dirty and Millions Died. How Similar Is Big Food?)" by Kelly D. Brownell and Kenneth E. Warner (*The Milbank Quarterly, *2009).

• A History Of The World In Six Glasses)*, *by Tom Standage (2005).

• "Cancer and Coronary Artery Disease Among Seventh-Day Adventists)," by E. L. Wynder, F. R. Lemon, and I. J. Bross (*Cancer, *1959).

• EXTRAS:

• "Why Is the Opioid Epidemic Still Raging?)" series by *Freakonomics Radio *(2024).

• "Daron Acemoglu on Economics, Politics, and Power)," by *People I (Mostly) Admire *(2024).

• "Let’s Be Blunt: Marijuana Is a Boon for Older Workers)," by *Freakonomics Radio *(2021).

• "What’s More Dangerous: Marijuana or Alcohol?)" by *Freakonomics Radio *(2014).