Half of Americans have tried marijuana, according to a new poll

A new poll shows that Americans have been using cannabis more and more over the years. In fact, Gallup’s survey, conducted since the 1970s, shows that one in ten Americans actively smokes cannabis today and that nearly half of them have at least tried it.

The number of cannabis users has remained constant at 30% for decades. As cannabis has become legal in a variety of states, the numbers have increased, with an average of 49% of respondents answering “yes” when asked if they have ever tried marijuana, according to this latest survey.

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A closer look at the study shows that although more people have experimented with marijuana, consistent cannabis use has remained constant over the years. Twelve percent of those surveyed said they currently smoke cannabis, the same result as in the previous year’s survey. It also revealed details about the demographics of people who tried marijuana at least once. Half of millennials said they tried cannabis between 2015 and 2021, with Gen X and Baby Boomers making up 49% and 50%, respectively.

The biggest differences can be seen when discussing the number of active users. Millennials most often state that they are active users (20%), followed by GenXers (11%) and baby boomers (9%).

“The percentage of Americans who have tried marijuana has grown steadily over the past few decades,” said Gallup. “It should reach 50% soon, but it may not get much higher than that as the experimentation rates among Generation Xers and Baby Boomers are consistently around 50%. Half of Millennials have tried marijuana as well, and with many in this group approaching middle age, it seems unlikely that this percentage will increase in the years to come. The frequency with which Gen Z tries marijuana will likely determine the trendline. “

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Another interesting finding from the survey is that people don’t have to be cannabis users to support legalization. 68 percent of respondents said they are in favor of legalizing the drug, which is the highest percentage in the history of the survey.

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Although the survey has certain reservations – such as the fact that cannabis use is labeled as ‘smoking’, which may alienate consumers – it paints a picture of how cannabis use is evolving and losing some of its stereotypes and misunderstandings.