Majority of Americans Support Marijuana Legalization, Pew Survey Finds

By Marcus AlvarezCannabis Reviews

89% of Americans Support Marijuana Legalization

According to a recent survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, 89% of Americans support the legalization of medical or recreational marijuana at the federal level in the United States.

Support for Cannabis Legalization Remains Steady

Between October 10 and 16, Pew Research Center surveyed 5,726 American adults and found that:

  • 59% of respondents support legalizing both medical and recreational marijuana;
  • 30% support legalizing only medical marijuana;
  • 10% want marijuana to remain illegal;
  • 1% declined to answer the survey questions.

As expected, the highest level of support for cannabis law reform was found among young people and liberal voters. The most conservative groups included Asian Americans, older adults, and Republican supporters.

Pew Research Center 2022 Survey Results

Compared to last year, the number of Americans in favor of legalization has not changed and remains at the record high reached in 2021. Additionally, Pew’s findings are partially confirmed by a Gallup poll, which found that 68% of American adults support legalizing recreational marijuana in 2022.

Most Americans Reject Myths About Marijuana Harm

The widespread support for marijuana legalization in the U.S. is largely due to successful efforts to debunk myths about the dangers of cannabis use. During the era of “Reefer Madness,” authorities demonized marijuana, claiming it corrupted people and caused insanity.

Poster from the “Reefer Madness” era

However, a public opinion poll by Rasmussen Reports shows that most Americans no longer believe these stories. According to the survey:

  • 57% of respondents believe cannabis is either completely safe or not very harmful to health;
  • 23% think smoking marijuana carries minor risks;
  • 12% consider marijuana to be very dangerous.

When it comes to the theory that marijuana is a “gateway drug,” Americans are evenly split. 46% believe marijuana does not lead to the use of heroin, cocaine, or other addictive substances, while another 46% think it could encourage people to try so-called hard drugs.

Leave a Reply