A new poll indicates 68% of Americans expected medical marijuana to be used as commonly as prescription medicines within 5 years.
A survey conducted online by The Harris Poll from March 22nd to 24th, 2024 among a nationally representative sample of 2,043 U.S. adults found 40% of Americans use marijuana, including a quarter who do so on a weekly basis or more regularly.
64% of the marijuana use group stated say they like to use it to relax and unwind, and 53% to ease anxiety. Most (77%) prefer to consume marijuana in the evenings, most commonly between the hours of 6pm and 9pm (59%).
While 64% of Americans believe marijuana no longer carries the stigma it used to have, 71% think marijuana still isn’t understood well enough and 55% were concerned about the potential future effects of marijuana use. The majority of users may believe it no longer carries the stigma it once did, but more than half won’t talk about their usage on the first few dates. 64% were generally selective about sharing details of their usage.
As for how Americans are consuming marijuana:
- Smoking: 71%
- Ingesting (e.g., edibles and infused beverages): 62%
- Vaping: 56%
- Dabbing (i.e., concentrates): 42%
Only 13% of respondents said they live in a state where cannabis is totally illegal. A Pew survey published last month says 74% of Americans live in a state where marijuana is legal for either recreational or medical consumption and 54% reside in states where recreational use is legal.
In the Harris Poll survey, 59% said they were surprised marijuana hasn’t been legalized across the USA as yet and 50% believed it will be within the next five years. 69% of heavy users say they’ve traveled to places where recreational marijuana is legal simply because of their friendly related laws. 34% of Americans wouldn’t move to a state that is yet to legalize recreational marijuana.
But legalization on its own isn’t enough. 56% believe social equity programs should be implemented to tackle historical injustices related to criminalization; which include barriers to employment merely for having a record for possession.
More from The Harris Poll’s Status of Marijuana in 2024 can be found here.
