The Rise of Smoke-Free THC: Are Gummies, Drinks and Vapes Changing Cannabis Use?

Cannabis consumption in America is becoming more varied.

Smoking remains the most common route of use but nearly half of all past-year marijuana users now eat or drink cannabis, and four in ten vape it. Gummies, beverages, vapes, and other smoke-free formats have moved from niche alternatives to mainstream consumption methods used by tens of millions of Americans.

This report draws on publicly available U.S. health surveys, cannabis route-of-use data, public opinion polling, and market forecasts to examine how cannabis consumption is shifting beyond traditional smoking and what the data says about the growth of edibles, drinks, vapes, and other smoke-free THC formats.

Key Highlights

• 64.2 million people aged 12 and older used marijuana in the past year in 2024 equal to 22.3% of the U.S. population aged 12+
• Among past-year marijuana users, 73.9% smoked, 49.8% ate or drank, and 39.8% vaped marijuana in 2024
• Among adults aged 26 and older, 50.3% ate or drank marijuana more than the 33.9% who vaped it
• 46.7% of current adult cannabis users used two or more routes of consumption
• The global cannabis edibles market was valued at $19.16 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $52.23 billion by 2034
• North America accounted for 74.26% of the global cannabis edibles market in 2025
• Cannabis beverages generated $54.6 million in Q1 2025, up 15% year-on-year
• Candy accounts for 79% of edible sales, while beverages hold a 6% share comparable to chocolate
• 55% of U.S. adults say marijuana should be legal for both medical and recreational use, per Pew Research (January 2026)
• 24 states, three territories, and D.C. now allow or regulate cannabis for non-medical adult use

Cannabis Use Is Now Mainstream

The scale of cannabis use in the United States today is significant.

In 2024, 64.2 million people aged 12 and older used marijuana in the past year equal to 22.3% of the U.S. population in that age group.

That figure has grown steadily. Past-year marijuana use increased from 19.0% in 2021 to 22.3% in 2024.

Among adults aged 26 and older, past-year use rose from 17.3% in 2021 to 21.7% in 2024. Young adults aged 18 to 25 had the highest use rate at 35.0%.

Cannabis use is no longer a fringe behavior. It is a mainstream consumer activity used by tens of millions of Americans across every adult age group.

How Americans Are Consuming Cannabis

Smoking remains the most common cannabis consumption method but smoke-free formats are now a major part of the picture.

Among people aged 12 and older who used marijuana in the past year in 2024:

• 73.9% smoked marijuana
• 49.8% ate or drank marijuana
• 39.8% vaped marijuana
• 14.1% dabbed marijuana
• 14.1% used another method including lotions, patches, drops, sprays, pills, and other formats

Eating or drinking cannabis was the second most common consumption method overall used by nearly half of all past-year marijuana users.

Edibles and Drinkables Have Broad Adult Adoption

One of the most significant findings in the consumption data is how widespread edible and drinkable cannabis has become among adults.

Among adults aged 26 and older who used marijuana in the past year, 50.3% ate or drank marijuana. That figure is higher than the 33.9% who vaped it meaning edibles and drinkables are more popular than vaping among older adult cannabis users.

Among young adults aged 18 to 25, 49.7% ate or drank marijuana. Among adolescents aged 12 to 17, 39.1% did the same.

Eating and drinking cannabis is not a youth-specific behavior. It is the second most common route of use across all adult age groups.

Vaping Is Especially Common Among Younger Users

While edibles have broad adult adoption, vaping is particularly concentrated among younger cannabis users.

Among past-year marijuana users aged 12 to 17, 72.2% vaped marijuana. Among users aged 18 to 25, 56.5% vaped. Among users aged 26 and older, that figure falls to 33.9%.

CDC route-of-use data reinforces this pattern. Among current cannabis users aged 18 to 24, 44.7% vaped and 28.4% dabbed cannabis.

Vapes are a dominant format for younger users but their adoption drops significantly with age, while edibles maintain strong use across all adult demographics.

Many Cannabis Users Are Using Multiple Formats

The rise of smoke-free formats does not appear to be replacing smoking outright. Instead, many cannabis consumers are using multiple methods simultaneously.

CDC data from 22 states and two territories found that among current adult cannabis users:

• 79.4% smoked cannabis
• 41.6% ate cannabis
• 30.3% vaped cannabis
• 46.7% used two or more routes of consumption

Among multi-format users, the most common combinations were smoking and eating (55.2%) and smoking and vaping (54.5%).

The picture that emerges is not one of consumers abandoning smoking for edibles or vapes it is one of consumers expanding their habits to include multiple product formats.

The Cannabis Edibles Market Is Growing Rapidly

Market data confirms what consumption surveys suggest: edibles are a major and growing category.

The global cannabis edibles market was valued at $19.16 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $52.23 billion by 2034 an 11.91% CAGR from 2026 to 2034.

North America dominates the category, accounting for 74.26% of global edibles market value in 2025. The North American cannabis edibles market alone was valued at $14.23 billion in 2025.

Gummies and Candy Lead the Edibles Category

Within edibles, candy-style products including gummies are by far the dominant format.

BDSA data from Q1 2025 shows that candy accounted for 79% of edible dollar sales, while beverages and chocolates each held a 6% share, and pills accounted for 5%.

Gummies and candy-style products have established clear market leadership within edibles, driven by familiar formats, portion control, and wide product variety. Beverages and other formats are smaller but growing, with beverages showing 15% year-on-year growth in Q1 2025.

Public Opinion and Legal Access Are Expanding the Market

The conditions supporting a more varied cannabis product market continue to strengthen.

Pew Research Center found in January 2026 that 55% of U.S. adults say marijuana should be legal for both medical and recreational use, while a further 33% support medical use only. Just 11% say marijuana should not be legal at all.

Support is highest among younger adults 63% of adults aged 18 to 29 and 60% of adults aged 30 to 49 support full legalization.

Legal access has expanded significantly. As of June 2025, 41 states, three territories, and D.C. allow medical cannabis use. 24 states, three territories, and D.C. allow or regulate cannabis for non-medical adult use.

That legal and cultural environment is creating the conditions for a more diverse and accessible cannabis product market one where gummies, drinks, vapes, and other smoke-free formats are increasingly visible, available, and normalized.

What the Data Shows

Smoke-free THC is not replacing smoking but it is becoming an increasingly significant part of how Americans consume cannabis.

Nearly half of all past-year marijuana users ate or drank cannabis in 2024. Edibles are a $19 billion global market growing at nearly 12% annually. Cannabis beverages are growing 15% year-on-year. And nearly half of current adult users are consuming cannabis through more than one format.

The market is diversifying. Consumers are experimenting with formats beyond flower. And the combination of expanding legal access, mainstream public support, and product innovation is creating a cannabis market that looks increasingly different from the one that existed even five years ago.

Sources

• SAMHSA – 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health
• CDC MMWR – Routes of Marijuana Use, 22 U.S. States and Two Territories
• Pew Research Center – 10 Facts About Americans and Marijuana (2026)
• NCSL – State Medical Cannabis Laws
• NCSL – Cannabis Overview
• Fortune Business Insights – Cannabis Edibles Market
• Fortune Business Insights – Cannabis Beverages Market
• BDSA – 2025 Cannabis Beverage Market Insights
• Headset – Cannabis Edibles Category Data
• Headset – Cannabis Beverages Category
• Grand View Research – Cannabis Beverages Market