FACT BRIEF

Do a majority of Americans support the legalization of marijuana?

Wednesday, April 28, 2021

By Eric Carvin

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YES

A clear majority of Americans support the legalization of marijuana, according to a variety of reputable public-opinion surveys released in recent months.

A Gallup poll released on Nov. 9, 2020, found that 68% of Americans favor legalizing marijuana — a wide margin that was backed up on Election Day, when legal marijuana measures passed with strong bipartisan support.

More recently, a Pew poll found that 60% of Americans believe marijuana should be legal for both medical and recreational use, with an additional 31% saying medicinal but not recreational use should be allowed. In that poll, which was released on April 16, only 8% said marijuana should not be legal for any use by adults.

The methodology used in these polls can be found on the Gallup and Pew links below.

See a full discussion of this at AP NEWS

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Sources

Gallup Support for Legal Marijuana Inches Up to New High of 68%

Pew Research Americans overwhelmingly say marijuana should be legal for recreational or medical use

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