Poll: Majority of Americans Have Tried Marijuana and Say It Should Be Legal

Most adults acknowledge having consumed cannabis and six in ten say that the substance should be legal nationwide, according to survey data provided by YouGov.com.

Fifty-seven percent of respondents said that they had consumed cannabis during their lifetimes. Of those who acknowledged having used marijuana, most described their experiences as “mostly positive.”

Separate polling data published by YouGov last month reported that approximately two-thirds of adults believe that the regular use of alcohol and tobacco is “more harmful to a person’s health” than the use of cannabis. Sixty-two percent of respondents in that poll agreed that marijuana should be legalized.

“Most Americans have tried cannabis and few regret having done so,” NORML’s Deputy Director Paul Armentano said. “This is why our political opponents spend so much time opining that today’s marijuana is somehow inherently different than the cannabis of the prior decades. They are trying to convince Americans’ that their positive first-hand experiences with cannabis are no longer relevant. Fortunately, most adults know otherwise, and this is reflected in the public’s consistent support for legalizing and regulating cannabis.”

Additional polling data is available from NORML.