About one in three Americans say their holiday “pregame” routine involves using marijuana, according to a new survey.
The poll from the Freeman Recovery Center looked at a variety of ways the use of alcohol and other drugs intersects with with the holiday season, when family get-togethers and financial stress from gift giving tend to come to a head. As it turns out, a sizable portion of Americans are using cannabis to decompress.
“Because holiday celebrations are so ingrained in American culture, it can be challenging to pinpoint what exactly exacerbates substance use behaviors around this time of year. However, we wanted to figure out why,” the center said.
The survey of over 1,000 respondents “revealed that for many, substances like alcohol weren’t just part of holiday parties, but a way to endure the season,” it said.
About half of Americans said they “pre-game” before holiday family gatherings. Alcohol is the most common choice at 51 percent, but cannabis now comes in second at 31 percent—including 43 percent of Gen Z and millennials. Another 12 percent said they used psychedelics before family events.
For people with a substance use history, that increased: 68 percent used alcohol, 50 percent consumed cannabis
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