Transcending Political Affiliations, Majority Of Americans Support Legalizing Weed, Says New Study

On the heels of the Garden State rolling out its legal cannabis market, comes a study that should surprise no one following the vicissitudes of the industry: a majority of Americans support legalization, according to a new study. Furthermore, most of those polled believe marijuana is less harmful to one’s health versus alcohol.

However, what is especially noteworthy about this survey, conducted by market research firm SSRS, is the finding that this support transcends political affiliations. Of the 69% of respondents who champion legalization, 78% include Democrats, 74% include Independents, and 54% include Republicans.

Invoking this finding, Paul Armentano, deputy director of NORML, a nonprofit that advocates for marijuana laws reform, feels this support should be the catalyst for legislators across the political aisles to legalize on a national level. “Voters support legalizing marijuana regardless of political party affiliation,” he said in a public statement. “At a time when national politics remain acutely polarized, elected officials ought to come together in a bipartisan manner to repeal the failed policy of cannabis prohibition. It is one of the few policy reforms that voters on the right and on the left can all agree upon.”

The study’s other findings include:

*92% of those polled support cannabis for therapeutic purposes:

*58% respondents, including 71% of millennials, said that “alcohol is more harmful to a person’s health than marijuana” while only 4% of respondents perceive marijuana to be more harmful;

*65% of respondents, including 72% of Baby Boomers acknowledge having tried cannabis at least once during their lifetime, a figure that is higher than has been reported in other national surveys.

*In the same vein, two age-discrepant generations, Gen Z’ers and those from the Silent Generation are least likely to report having ever used cannabis.

According to a news release announcing this study’s findings, “the poll possesses a margin of error of +/– 3.5 percentage points.”