The New York Department of Health released a report Wednesday  about cannabis consumption among adults in the state.

The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System report shows cannabis use patterns based on surveying a sample of 5,625 adults in the state, including how cannabis is consumed and demographic data. The report, based on 2023 data,  is meant to inform the state Health Department about the impact of marijuana on New Yorkers’ health, according to the DOH.

Findings from the report show that approximately 14.7% of adults age 18 and older reported consuming cannabis within the past 30 days, and that the majority of those users are young adults, often from marginalized demographics.

Here are some key takeaways from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System report:

Smoking is the most common method of consumption — but other methods carry risks, too

The most common method of consumption among survey respondents was smoking, at 61.9%, followed by cannabis-infused food at 18.1% and vaping at 16.5%.

Dr. Jeffrey Reynolds, president and CEO of the Garden City-based Family & Children’s Association, said that while smoking is harmful to lung health, edibles should also be consumed with caution, as their effects can take about an hour to begin.

“I always worry about somebody who takes a gummy and then tries to drive a car, doesn’t feel like there’s an immediate impact, consumes more and then winds up panicking because they’re not having a good experience,” he said.

Cannabis use is disproportionately high among LGBTQIA+ adults

 The report finds that 35.6% of the adults who reported cannabis use identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning or intersex.

“The LGBTQIA+ community has a history of more substance use than the heterosexual population,” said Peter Yelton, a Wantagh-based therapist who works with a large number of LGBTQIA+ clients.

This is due to mental health issues associated with coming out, a lack of civil rights and other social stressors, according to Yelton.

“But moderated recreational cannabis use among adults is legal and not necessarily problematic,” he said.

More than half of cannabis users report recreational use

Among the 14.7% of adults, 54.5% reported using cannabis non-medically, 30.5% said they used it for both medical and non-medical reasons, and 15% used it solely for medical reasons, the report said.

Cannabis use is higher among those with frequent mental distress

Adults experiencing frequent mental health distress consume cannabis at significantly higher rates than those who do not — 27.7% compared with 12.7%.

Reynolds said that since many young adults came of age during the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s not surprising that they may have turned to cannabis as a form of self-medication.

“There are thousands of young people walking around New York state whose lives were upended [by COVID], whose anxieties were piqued, and who were thrown into isolation, which can fuel depression,” Reynolds said.

Young adults consume the most

Adults age 21 to 24 reported the highest rates of cannabis use among all age groups, at 31.7%. Use was also higher among those who currently smoke cigarettes or drink heavily.

Reynolds said cannabis use before age 25, especially for men, can be risky. The report states that men use cannabis more than women by about 5 percentage points.

“One of the things we know about brain development, especially in men, is that it takes longer,” he said. “Even at 21, your brain isn’t fully developed. It generally takes until the age of 25, especially in men, for your brain to be fully developed.”