A large percentage of Americans consider cannabis to be healthier

A new poll shows just how much Americans have stopped fearing weed. The vast majority of respondents consider alcohol to be more harmful than cannabis, showing just how much perception has evolved around the plant.

The survey, conducted by market research firm SSRS, found that more than half of respondents (58%) believe cannabis is safer than alcohol. Millennials, Gen Z, Gen X and Boomers, in that order, believe cannabis is less risky than alcohol.

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Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels

A closer look at the results shows some of what previous cannabis polls have shown: the majority of Americans believe in legal medical marijuana (92%), a smaller but still large percentage believe in recreational marijuana (69%). and Democrats (78%) and Independents (74%) are more likely to support legal marijuana than Republicans (54%).

While polls have a margin of error, the results provide a snapshot of how people currently feel about marijuana, showing that support is growing across all age groups and political parties.

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While national policy is slow to embrace change, Americans continue to embrace cannabis with each passing year. To the results of the survey NORML Associate Director Paul Armentano released a statement saying: “Voters support the legalization of marijuana regardless of political party affiliation,” he said.

“At a time when national politics remains acutely polarized, elected officials should come together in a bipartisan manner to reverse failed cannabis prohibition policies. It is one of the few political reforms that voters from left and right can agree on.”