(CNN) — Eye-opening new data on marijuana — a new Gallup Poll says the number of adult American pot smokers has nearly doubled in the last three years
That breaks down to 1 in 8 people according to the telephone survey of 1,000 people.
A 2014 government study found cannabis to be the most commonly used illicit drug. Recreational marijuana is now legal in the western states of Colorado, Oregon, Alaska, and Washington.
Gallup said residents in the west were more likely to say they smoked pot. Voters in five other states will decide on legalizing weed this November.
Marijuana’s advocates say it’s beneficial for people suffering from a variety of diseases and other medical conditions. Among them — cancer, epilepsy, and Alzheimer’s.
The Drug Enforcement Agency lists marijuana as a schedule one drug — the same category as heroin and cocaine. DEA officials say pot use has been linked to numerous physical and mental issues.
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