More Americans Turn to Cannabis for Sleep Over Prescription Pills or Alcohol, Poll Finds

Survey Shows 16% of U.S. Adults Use Marijuana as a Sleep Aid, Outpacing Traditional Medications

Cannabis is now a more popular sleep aid than prescription medication or alcohol among American adults, according to a new survey. The poll, conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of cannabis company Green Thumb Industries, found that 16% of U.S. adults aged 21 and older use marijuana to help them sleep—a higher percentage than those relying on prescription sleep aids (12%) or alcohol (11%).

Despite this growing trend, cannabis still trails behind other sleep remedies such as supplements (26%) and over-the-counter sleep aids (19%).

Widespread Sleep Problems Among Americans

The survey highlights a broader issue: 79% of adults report that something keeps them awake at night, while 58% use at least one substance to help them sleep. The data suggests that sleep disturbances are common across different demographic groups, prompting people to explore a variety of remedies, including cannabis.

Who Uses Cannabis for Sleep?

The survey, conducted online in early June 2024 among 2,019 U.S. adults aged 21 and older, identified several trends in the use of cannabis as a sleep aid:

• Men vs. women: More men (18%) than women (15%) reported using cannabis to help them sleep. Women aged 21–34 were the most likely to use it, while men aged 35–44 had the highest rate among male respondents.
• Income and cannabis use: People from lower-income households earning less than $50,000 were the most likely to use cannabis for sleep (23%), while higher-income respondents were more likely to choose supplements and over-the-counter products.
• Parents vs. non-parents: Parents were more likely than non-parents to use cannabis for sleep. 20% of respondents with children in their household reported using cannabis, compared with 14% of non-parents.
• Regional differences: Using cannabis for sleep was most common in the West (20%) and Northeast (19%), while lower rates were reported in the Midwest (14%) and South (13%).

CBD and Cannabis-Based Sleep Aids Are Becoming More Popular

The survey also examined the use of CBD-only products and products combining CBD with melatonin. A total of 10% of respondents said they used these alternatives. Experts suggest that the growing popularity of cannabis- and CBD-based sleep aids may reflect a shift toward natural or plant-based remedies instead of pharmaceuticals and alcohol.

With a margin of error of ±2.5 percentage points, the findings suggest that as more states legalize cannabis, its use as a sleep aid may continue to increase, changing how Americans approach sleep health.