The New York Times has a nifty interactive map based on data from the 2006-2007 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (more data here). It provides a drop-down menu to choose which dataset you’d like, which I naturally used to choose “Percent of people 12+ who have used marijuana in the past year”. Based on that information, your Top Five Stoner States are:
- Rhode Island (16.12%)
- Vermont (15.75%)
- Alaska (13.79%)
- Oregon (13.12%)
- Colorado (12.99%)
Surprised that California isn’t in that list? Me, too. I’m not at all surprised by Vermont, Alaska, Oregon, and Colorado, but stunned that Rhode Island came in at #1. I’d caution that this represents everyone from the once-a-year-at-a-concert toker all the way through the daily Stasher. If frequency and amount used were considered, I’d be willing to wager we here in Oregon are, uh, higher than #4. Curious about your Bottom Five?
- Utah (7.17%)
- Iowa (7.32%)
- Mississippi (7.79%)
- Texas (7.92%)
- Alabama (7.96%)
That #1 result for Utah shouldn’t surprise anyone with its majority Mormon population that even rejects coffee drinking. Another category where Utah is number one is consumption of Jell-O, which was named the official state snack. Oddly enough, the one time Utah lost its Jell-O crown was when Iowa briefly overtook them. So I wonder, is there some sort of yin/yang thing going on between cannabis and gelatin snacks? If you’re too high does it make it tough to follow the Jell-O recipe, or is it that you get such munchies you don’t have time to wait for Jell-O to set? By the way, does anybody have a recipe for ganja Jell-O; maybe that’s the solution?
I also thought it would be interesting to look at the Top Five States for Binge Alcohol Drinking:
- North Dakota (32.02%)
- Wisconsin (28.84%)
- Minnesota (28.75%)
- South Dakota (28.34%)
- Rhode Island (27.92%)
Apparently Rhode Island is the place to get your drink on and your smoke on. But for the other Top Five Stoner States, binge drinking rates fall somewhere in the middle of the country from Oregon (21.71%) and Alaska (22.74%) toward the lower range and Vermont (25.57%) and Colorado (26.15%) toward the upper range. Unsurprisingly, Utah (15.64%) is at the bottom of this list as well. I suppose if Jell-O vodka shots aren’t bumping that number up, ganja Jell-O won’t likely work, either.
HELL YEEEA REPRESENT RHODE ISLAND HAHA WE KNOW HOW TO GET IT. RHODY WEED BE THE FINEST GREEN COME SEE FOR YOURSELF
Ha!
[...] Colorado, like California, has already legalized marijuana for medicinal use. Studies have shown marijuana use in the state to be more prevalent than almost any other state in the country. Even so, a marijuana legalization [...]
There is nobody in Alafreakin bama and o how I MISS my cool friends.
Dude….Louisiana didnt make the list!!!!!
the way to make ganja jello is very simple really. first off get yourself your favorite kind of jello then depending on if you prefer an indica or a sativa as one will make you seem to get tired perse if you have trouble sleeping or have a head high and the other is more of a body high and helps the body to relax so as not to feel pain as much perse. you take and make the jello using a ganja tea perse or ganja water. you have to make by boiling the ganja in the water and then strain it so as not to have the plant particles in the water then you take the amount of water needed and replace that same amount with the ganja water and then mix in your jello powder and it should set about the same amount of time it takes to set if made with plain water hope this works and helps for you as it does for me and its a great snack or dessert. the amount of ganja you use depends on how strong a taste of ganja you desire to have when eating the jello so experiment with the amount you use based on your size and your tolerance. also remember to grind your ganja in a grinder for ganja first ok thanks. hope this helps gl.
I am glad California did not make the list. It may just be because they have a huge population. If not though this is a great statistic we can bring up to those reefer mad prohibitionist that say everybody in California is smoking cannabis including kids buying it from dispensaries etc. etc. We can no bullshit you are wrong there is not a problem with MMJ and not a problem with Cali´s MMJ law.
That’s a pretty big decision, macTruck; one you’d have to come to on your own after some deep thought and research. I lived in both states (born and raised in CA, lived several years in HI) and have enjoyed my life in both places. The scene here in CA is going to look pretty interesting if we vote to legalize recreational adult marijuana use in November, not that it isn’t already interesting now. Extremely good bud is fairly easy to find if you have the right connections, and it’s been my experience that connections are just as easy to find. Otherwise, you can try to get a doctor’s recommendation and go the dispensary route, which I don’t particularly advise unless you have a legit illness (my conscience just won’t allow me to exploit the MMJ system meant for those in real need here). On the downside, CA’s been hit pretty hard during the recession and it’s hard to find work out here and, depending on where you reside, it can be fairly expensive to live.
Hawaii’s, well, Hawaii. Everything is laidback there and you probably won’t be harassed about kine bud unless you’re being stupid about it. I fell in love w/ the people, the environment, and the culture, and I regret having to leave. I made more friends and people that I consider as close as family than I have ever made living many years in California. But be forewarned, HI is only “paradise” if you’re vacationing, living there is a whole different story (it will lose its luster after a while). Like CA, it’s fairly expensive to live and it’s got it’s fair share of problems like every other state. Plus, it would periodically go through bud shortages and dry spells (and I was living on Oahu), something that I have never experienced here in California.
But who knows, you mileage may vary in either states compared to mine. I guess you’ll have to ask yourself what else do you plan to be into besides MJ.
aloha to all my fellow brothers and sisters. have been thinking of moving. had the unfortunate luck of being born in an awful strict state and would like to pack up and move. since we all have the same religious beliefs that are somewhat restricted as to how free we can be; where would most of you think would be better to go? cali or hawaii?
40% sounds a little high (no pun intended) but I know what you mean, a lot of people “burn” on the islands. However, what I’ve learned was that drug use is a lot like masturbation, a considerable amount of people do it but rarely do they talk about it, little less admit on a national poll that they do it.
oddly enough, adding to Utah’s Jello Fetish, Is that the number one jello in Utah is GREEN JELLO!
SLC NORML’s mission is to move public opinion sufficiently to achieve the repeal of green Jello humor so that the responsible use of Green Jello by adults is no longer subject to ridicule!
But seriously, even though Utah is one of the “lower Use” states, there is still a disparaging amount of people suffering under draconian cannabis prohibition efforts. There should be little difference in the law as to whether one chooses to use Jello.shots .or Cannabis!
Vermont is only #2 that is crazy should of been number 1. I think this survey must have been done around work time, call back toward the evening youll get better luck.
My husband and i are moving to Waikiki in a couple weeks from Portland Oregon. We are super nice laid back 30′s lookn for some new friends in Oahu with the same luv for the bud as we do!
We have amazing kids and we r super happy!! We just enjoy our high quality cronic!! We R lookn for some fun friends in Hawaii to hang out with??
Aloha
Malibu
Looking at that again, I’m more suprised at Massachusetts not topping the binge drinking list.
We have a LOT of colleges here and Bars EVERYWHERE.
UMASS is notorious for being a party school.
Could it be that in the places where Marijuana is a little more commonplace we are seeing sharp declines in drinking?
I’m not surprised that California doesn’t top that list.
In fact, it falls right in line with what all the evidence suggests happens when you end prohibition. Usage goes down.
this is bs i know at least 40% of hawaii smokes
I am not surprised that Minnesota is near the top of binge drinking states. I guess that kinda happens when the snows start falling by the foot around October 1st and can be expected to fall until around the 1st of June.
Interesting tidbit…Wisconsin is the only state that allows adults to buy alcohol for kids in bars
lol, not a surprise about WI. I’m surrounded by drunks!!!
I can’t believe California didn’t make the list. We love to smoke in California. We must have been too loaded to respond to the survey.
I wonder where we rank on the Jello consumption list.