A new, comprehensive survey sheds light on the evolving dynamics of substance use during the high-stress holiday season, revealing a significant trend: approximately one in three Americans now incorporate marijuana into their “pregame” routine before attending family holiday gatherings.
The poll, conducted by the Freeman Recovery Center, delved into the intersection of substance use—including alcohol, cannabis, and other psychoactive substances—with the culturally charged period of the holidays. This time of year, often associated with a spike in emotional and psychological pressure stemming from obligatory family interaction, as well as compounding financial anxieties from gift-giving and travel, appears to be a major trigger for self-medication. The results paint a clear picture that a substantial segment of the American population is actively turning to cannabis as a therapeutic, albeit recreational, way to decompress and manage stress before facing relatives.
The Freeman Recovery Center explained its motivation for undertaking the research, stating its intent was to gain a deeper understanding of the specific triggers that drive substance use during a historically ingrained time of year. “The survey of over 1,000 respondents revealed that for many, substances like alcohol weren’t just part of the festive environment of holiday parties, but were increasingly being used as a critical coping mechanism—a way to simply endure the season,” a spokesperson for the center noted.Key Findings on Substance Use as a “Pre-Gaming” Strategy
The research highlighted that using substances immediately prior to family functions is a common phenomenon, with roughly half of all Americans engaging in some form of “pre-game” activity.
- Overall Substance Use:
- Alcohol remains the most popular choice, reported by 51 percent of respondents.
- However, cannabis has established itself as a remarkably close second at 31 percent, underscoring its growing mainstream acceptance as a social lubricant or stress reliever.
- Generational Divide in Cannabis Use: The use of cannabis is even more pronounced among younger demographics, reflecting shifting cultural norms and greater legal access.
- Gen Z and millennials reported significantly higher rates of cannabis use before gatherings, at 43 percent.
- Other Substances: The study also tracked the use of other psychoactive substances, finding that 12 percent of all respondents reported using psychedelics as part of their pre-gathering routine.
- Impact of Substance Use History: For the subset of respondents with a self-reported history of substance use disorder, these figures were starkly higher, indicating an increased vulnerability during the holidays:
- 68 percent used alcohol.
- 50 percent consumed cannabis.
- 26 percent opted for psychedelics.
Coping with Financial Stress Through Self-Medication
Beyond interpersonal family stress, the survey explored the role of substances in managing the acute financial pressure associated with the holidays. While not all generations rely on chemical coping methods to navigate financial strain (for instance, 42 percent of Gen X and 68 percent of baby boomers did not use substances to cope with money worries), millennials reported the highest rates of using substances to self-medicate financial anxiety:
- 54 percent of millennials used alcohol specifically to cope with financial stress.
- 45 percent of millennials used cannabis for the same purpose.
Broader Cultural Context and the “Cousin Walk”
This documented rise in cannabis use during the holidays is consistent with broader, national trends regarding legalization and acceptance. A 2023 Pew Research poll previously found that over half of all American adults report having tried cannabis at some point, and 23 percent reported use in the prior year.
The practice of stepping away for a cannabis break before or during intense holiday events has even gained a degree of mainstream cultural recognition and a colloquial name: the “cousin walk.” This tradition, which has long been common within the cannabis community, typically involves younger adults—often cousins or siblings—making an organized, brief exit from the main family gathering, such as before the Thanksgiving feast or Christmas dinner, to consume cannabis together. The survey’s findings give statistical validation to this increasingly common, if subtly performed, holiday ritual.
