Americans’ opinions on cannabis vary greatly depending on their age, race, and whether they identify as Democrat or Republican. In general, younger Democrats and Black and white Americans tend to favor legalization more than others.

That’s one of many findings reported recently by the Pew Research Center on Americans’ opinions of cannabis. They based their report on the findings of a series of public surveys conducted in recent years among the American public.

The following summarizes five of the most notable findings of the report.

About 90% of Americans Favor Cannabis Legalization

About 90% of Americans believe marijuana should be legalized for either medicinal or recreational purposes, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in January 2024. The survey reports that 88% of adults support legalization, with 32% advocating for medical use only and 57% supporting both medical and recreational use. Only 11% of respondents are in favor of keeping marijuana illegal. Public opinion on this issue has remained largely consistent over the last five years.

Supports for Cannabis is Higher Among the Young, Democrats, and Black and White Americans

About 71% of people under the age of 30 support cannabis legalization for both recreational and medical use, while only 31% of those over the age of 75 say the same. Among Republicans, 42% favor legalization for both uses, while 72% of Democrats say the same.

Also, less than half (45%) of Hispanic and Asian Americans support legalization for recreational and medical purposes, while 65% of Black and 59% of White adults say the same.

Support for Cannabis Legalization Has Increased Dramatically the Past Two Decades

Over the past 20 years, support for cannabis legalization has risen significantly. Both Pew and Gallup have tracked American attitudes toward legalization, beyond just its medical and recreational aspects. The most recent inquiry by Gallup in 2023 found that 70% of adults favored cannabis legalization, more than twice the percentage of supporters in 2000.

Half of All Americans Have Used Cannabis

Pew reported that 50.3% of American adults say they have used cannabis. While that seems like a large percentage, it is still smaller than the number of American adults who say that they have used alcohol (84.1%) and those who say they have used tobacco products or vaped nicotine (64.8%).

Americans Favor Reducing Penalties for Marijuana Convictions

The report revealed that a majority of Americans favor reducing penalties for those with marijuana convictions. About two-thirds of adults support the release of people jailed for marijuana-related offenses, with 41% expressing strong support. Also, 61% favor expunging marijuana-related offenses from criminal records.

Particular demographic groups, including younger adults, Democrats, and Black Americans, show higher levels of support for these reforms. For example, 74% of Black adults support both the release of individuals imprisoned only for marijuana offenses and the removal or expungement of such offenses from criminal records.