A recent survey conducted by the Pew Research Center found that 91% of Americans support legalizing medical or adult-use marijuana.
Marijuana Legalization Data
Results from the survey arrived shortly after three more states fully legalized the adult-use of marijuana: New York, Virginia, and New Mexico. The survey revealed that 60% of participants supported the legalization of both adult-use and medical marijuana, while 31% of that group just wanted legalization for therapeutic purposes. Only 8% of participants thought the drug should continue to be criminalized, while 1% abstained from answering. This is a very encouraging study as we lean toward a greener future with ever increasing legalization efforts.
As expected, those most opposed to marijuana legalization were above the age of 75. However, only 14% of those 75 and older were completely opposed. The age range supporting the legalization of both adult-use and medical cannabis fell between 18-29 with only 4% opposing it outright.
72% of participants who claimed to be Democrats supported legalization for adult-use and medical marijuana legalization, whereas only 47% of those who claimed to be Republican supported the same idea. Those who labeled themselves as conservative had the most opposition to legalization, with 15% wanting the plant to stay federally prohibited. Finally, only 3% of those that claimed to be liberal were opposed to any legalization. What does this tell us? People want access to cannabis.
Presidential Predicament with Marijuana
After interpreting these statistics, one could assume Joe Biden would want to heed the will of the people by supporting marijuana legalization, however that is likely not the case. Press Secretary Jen Psaki said last month in a statement that Biden’s view on the drug has not changed, and he has no interest in federal legalization… for now. Instead, he is more focused on getting the drug rescheduled, expunging past marijuana crimes, and legalizing medical marijuana.
Considering this data as well as comments made by U.S. Senators, Joe Biden is sure to encounter some sort of legalization bill in the future, but right now we cannot claim with certainty whether he would sign this legislation.
With important data from surveys like the Pew Research Center’s, we can have a deeper understanding of what Americans want. It’s very clear the people want medical marijuana at least, which further consolidates support for federal legalization in the coming months.
Additional Resources:
At The Weed Blog, we strive to produce the latest online news resources regarding marijuana. We also review various strains of cannabis or other edible counterparts. We are committed to helping you find valuable information about marijuana on our website. With marijuana laws constantly changing, learn from us what you can do to promote activism in your area. Otherwise, consider these other top-tier articles regarding cannabis:
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