Legalization continues to flourish around the US, despite recent threats from the government that they plan to crackdown.

At the moment, cannabis is still federally prohibited in the US and those states which have embraced cannabis legalization for recreational or medicinal purposes (or both) are effectively violating federal law and exercising civil disobedience. But it's clear that there is huge support around the country for cannabis, as many dispensaries and other companies in this market continue to flourish.

Cannabis sales in 2016 are said to have surpassed $6.7 billion.

Compare that to beer sales in the US which were estimated to be around $100 billion every year. And a new report suggests that 1 in 4 American beer drinkers are actually considering making the move to cannabis and leaving the beer behind.

The more that consumers choose to direct their dollars (votes) toward cannabis, the more that the beer companies might stand to lose; as more folks opt for getting high rather than getting drunk.

A recent survey conducted by Cannabiz Consumer Group, of roughly 40,000 Americans, found that about 27 percent of them who were beer consumers, said they were planning to make the switch to cannabis.

Those in states where cannabis is still criminalized, said they are likely to opt more for cannabis over beer once it is legal for them to do so.

The beer industry isn't the only one who is looking to lose some profits either, as the pharmaceutical industry is also looking to lose customers thanks to an increasing number of people who are turning to cannabis for remedy over pills and other medications.

It's estimated that at least 26 million US citizens used cannabis last year.

The United States is credited with having the 2nd largest beer market in the world, theirs is just behind China. And when it comes to per capita consumption, the nation is in 14th place.

It's alleged that the preference for beer, with the 18-29 age group, has dropped from about 71 percent to 41 percent in the past couple of decades.

This means that the younger generation today isn't as enthusiastic as drinking alcohol as you would've found them to be about 20 years ago. And that isn't just the case in the US either, studies in other countries have also suggested that drinking isn't as popular with the younger generation any longer. It will be interesting to see, as the cannabis market continues to grow worldwide, how that effects the alcohol market, pharmaceuticals, and possible others.