| Graphic: Telling It Like It Is! |
The marijuana legalization debate has caught fire. When asked if they would support legalizing cannabis in their state, three out of four Americans — 74 percent — say they support legalization of medical marijuana, with almost half (48 percent) saying they strongly support it, according to a new Harris Poll. Fewer than one in five Americans (18 percent) say they oppose legalizing medical marijuana in their state.
Americans are less supportive of legalizing marijuana for recreational use. Two in five (42 percent) support legalizing recreational use in in their state, and half (49 percent) oppose it.
Surprisingly to some, adults in the East are most supportive of legalizing marijuana for medical use (80 percent) and recreational use (50 percent). The West is the next most supportive region, with 76 percent supporting medical marijuana and 50 percent favoring the legalizing of recreational marijuana.
| Graphic: Harris Interactive |
| Three-quarters of Americans support the legalization of medical marijuana, according to a new Harris Poll. |
While three-quarters of Midwesterners (74 percent) support medical marijuana, fewer than two in five (39 percent) say yes to recreational legalization. Southerners are the least supportive, although a big majority (69 percent) support medical marijuana. Only 34 percent of Southerners favor recreational legalization.
While most Americans support legalizing medical marijuana, there is no consensus about legalizing marijuana for recreational use. Neither is there agreement on who should decide whether or not to legalize.
A plurality of 44 percent of American adults say it should be a state decision, 40 percent say it should be a federal decision, and 14 percent are not sure.
There are, again, some regional differences: more than half of Westerners (52 percent) think marijuana legalization should be a state decision, compared to fewer in the South (44 percent), Midwest (42 percent) and East (38 percent) who agree. Easterners are most likely to say it should be a federal decision (47 percent).
If marijuana were legalized generally, majorities of Americans think it would cause an increase in both the number of people who use marijuana (68 percent) and the amount of marijuana used (also 68 percent). However, majorities also think it would increase tax revenue (75 percent), with 51 percent saying it would cause a large increase in tax revenue, as well as an increase in the consistency and standardization of marijuana used (59 percent).
Substantial pluralities say that legalizing marijuana generally would cause a decrease in the crime rate (41 percent) and the amount of money spent on prisons and prisoners (44 percent).
Cannabis has been legalized for certain medicinal uses in 15 states. Possession of pot has been decriminalized in various places, and California last November voted on whether or not to legalize it recreationally (they voted not to do so).
Americans may favor legalizing marijuana for medical purposes, but many questions remain unanswered. Among these are: Which medical issues warrant the use of cannabis? Where should it be dispensed? Who should regulate production and distribution?
TABLE 1
LEGALIZING MARIJUANA FOR VARIOUS PURPOSES
“Certain states are discussing the idea of legalizing marijuana. Would you support or oppose the legalization of marijuana for the following purposes in your state?”
Base: All adults
| Support (NET) | Strongly support | Somewhat support | Oppose (NET) | Somewhat oppose | Strongly oppose | Not at all sure | Decline to answer | |
| % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | |
| Medical treatment | 74 | 48 | 26 | 18 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 1 |
| Recreational use | 42 | 23 | 19 | 49 | 12 | 37 | 7 | 2 |
Note: Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding.
TABLE 2
LEGALIZING MARIJUANA FOR VARIOUS REASONS – SUMMARY OF SUPPORT
“Certain states are discussing the idea of legalizing marijuana. Would you support or oppose the legalization of marijuana for the following purposes in your state?”
Summary of those saying “strongly support” or “somewhat support”
Base: All adults
| Total | Region | Generation | |||||||
| East | Midwest | South | West | Echo Boomers (18-34) | Gen X (35-46) | Baby Boomers (47-65) | Matures (66+) | ||
| % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | |
| Medical treatment | 74 | 80 | 74 | 69 | 76 | 73 | 72 | 80 | 65 |
| Recreational use | 42 | 50 | 39 | 34 | 50 | 49 | 45 | 43 | 22 |
Note: Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding.
The Harris Poll was conducted online within the United States, February 14-21, among 3,171 adults aged 18 and older. Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region and household income were weighted when necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions of the population.
For more information, visit www.harrisinteractive.com.