For Sophie*, 23, marijuana isn’t just a sleep aid after a long day — it’s something she factors into her budget. “I spend at most about $30 a month at my dispensary on a deal for three packs of edibles,” she says.
Sophie isn’t the only college student factoring marijuana into their lifestyle: A recent survey found that 34% of Americans identify as “California sober,” meaning they are opting to cut back on alcohol in favor of weed. And that number climbs to 48% when looking at Gen Z specifically. Separately, about 42% of 19- to 30-year-olds report actively using marijuana — a historical high.
For many college students, marijuana’s growing popularity isn’t just because of the way it makes them feel — a lighter buzz with zero hangover — but also because of how it impacts their wallets. Instead of dropping $40 or $60 in a single night out, students like Sophie are spacing out smaller purchases — $15 for edibles, $25 for a vape — that last days, sometimes a week or a month. For a generation that tracks spending, splits rent, and Venmos everything, getting high is less an impulse and more a line item. It’s increasingly budgeted, folding cannabis into the same kind of cost-benefit thinking that shapes most everyday purchases.
Across college campuses, students are applying the same cost-conscious thinking to cannabis that they do to groceries, takeout, and streaming platform subscriptions. In states with legal dispensaries, that’s especially visible: users can scroll menus, compare prices, and choose products with a level of precision that makes getting high feel less like a spontaneous splurge and more like a planned expense.
For those living in states where legalization hasn’t caught up, the system looks very different. Costs are shaped by medical restrictions or informal networks, where availability, pricing, and quality can fluctuate. For Jordan*, 21, who lives in Florida, access is governed by a medical-only framework rather than a straightforward age-based retail market. Legal dispensary purchases require not just being 21+, but also qualifying under Florida’s medical marijuana use registry and holding a valid registry ID card. Furthermore, while smoke shops can’t sell medical-grade marijuana, they can legally sell hemp-derived cannabinoids like Delta-8, THCa, and HHC, which can produce cannabis-like effects, but aren’t regulated or approved by the FDA.
For those without medical authorization or those under 21, access often shifts into informal channels: Venmoing a friend, texting a dealer saved under a fake name, or waiting for someone older than them to make a dispensary run. As Jordan puts it, “I usually steal edibles from my friends or boyfriend.” That kind of informal network doesn’t just shape how people get cannabis — it also affects how much control they have over cost, quality, and consistency. Without regulated pricing or product transparency, consumption becomes more opportunistic and less standardized.
As legalization expands across the U.S., marijuana is becoming less of a splurge and more of a routine expense — one that students are actively trying to manage. Think less taboo, more transactional. Here’s what seven Gen Zers say they actually spend on weed.
Interviews have been edited for clarity and length.
Tessa*, 22, Massachusetts: $50-65/year
“I usually use one cartridge every six months. When I was a sophomore, I was getting it through a dealer on campus. Once it hit junior year, I would ask my friends who were 21+ to go through dispensaries for me. Money-wise, it would be maybe $50 to $65 total per year because I don’t go through it quickly, and it’s not fully legal in my home state of Pennsylvania. Because I lived on the border of a state where it’s legal, I feel like it had no impact on me buying weed. But some of my friends would drive 45 minutes. The only thing I would do is, when I drove home, I would hide it deep in my bag.”
Grace*, 22, Illinois: $15-35/month
“I usually get my weed from dispensaries. I’ve never bought illegally, and I was never really interested in that. I did partake in smoking and edibles before becoming 21, but I never bought them myself. It was always from a friend or family member.
After I turned 21 and was able to legally buy, I would go to the dispensary here and there to buy edibles because I don’t really smoke. I used to, but it just didn’t work for me, so I started getting edibles. A pack of edibles usually ranges from around $15-$35. I try to stay in the $15 to $25 range because I don’t need a high dosage. Edibles for life.”
Jordan*, 21, Florida: $20-50/month
“I buy TCHP from a smoke shop since it’s legal to buy from there. I did have a friend with a medical card about a year or two ago, but since I’ve turned 21, I can walk into any smoke shop and purchase weed. I typically spend $30 on flower and no more than $20 a cart [at a dispensary]. I never go through a dealer because they can sneak drugs in it, such as fentanyl, whereas I have a trusted smoke shop that takes age verification very seriously. You only live once. I enjoy it, and life is too short to really care. I also have depression and anxiety, and it helps with that — especially when it comes to falling asleep.”
Charlie*, 23, New Jersey: $20-60/month
“When I first started, I had a dealer who could get me a pen battery and carts. Now that I’m older and laws have started to turn toward being pro-marijuana, there are plenty of dispensaries in my home state.
While dab pens or marijuana vaporizers using weed waxes and resins can make smoking quicker and easier, they tend to add up, especially if you’re only buying disposables instead of cartridges. I recently switched to buying flower or bud most of the time, and I’ve found this to be the most efficient pricing. I can buy large quantities for as little as $20, grind it, and use it in my bowl for a month. This also prevents me from getting high too often.”
Avery*, 23, Windsor, Ontario, Canada: $20-30/month
“I try to spend only about $20 a month on weed — my usual purchase is a $30 pack of edibles — but there was one time I spent more than $100. I try to use what I have before I purchase more. I do my best to limit how often I buy it. If I go more, I can get more, then use more. It then becomes a cycle. Honestly, it’s just way cheaper than alcohol. I can easily spend $20 on drinks and not feel anything, whereas $3 worth of edibles can make for a fun night. I’m honestly really thankful weed is legal in Ontario. I never would have tried it if it weren’t. I’m very paranoid about things being laced, which is why I think legalization is good.”
Sophie*, 23, Massachusetts: $30/month
“Having access to dispensaries is great for me, but I have known people who have had to quit due to spending a little under $100 every other week on weed. Weed affects me in a way that I like and understand much more than alcohol when taking the right amount. I don’t feel the need to chase the buzz when taking small amounts [of marijuana] regularly. I take about 5 mg at a time — maybe 10 if I’m feeling frisky — and feel very relaxed, get a great night’s sleep, and feel fine the next morning.”
Ryan*, 21, New Jersey: $40/month
“Before I was 21, I was getting it through dealers and spent maybe $60 every two weeks. Now that I’m over the legal age, I just go to the dispensary. But I don’t find myself going nearly as much. I’ll spend $40 a month on it now.”
*Names have been changed for privacy purposes.