People with first-hand experience are more likely to perceive pot positively

Ever heard the old adage, “Don’t knock until you’ve tried”? Gallup’s latest poll data seems to support this concept, showing that 70% of American adults – those who have actually tried it – think its effects on users are positive.

These results were collected July 5-26 from Gallup’s Consumption Survey, conducted annually in July.

A large majority, or 70%, of Americans who have ever tried cannabis think pot’s effect on users is “very” or “somewhat positive,” and 66% think pot’s effect on society is “very.” ‘ or ‘somewhat positive’.

But on the flip side, a similarly large majority of people who have never tried cannabis consider its effects negative, with 72% saying its impact on society is “very” or “somewhat negative” and 62% saying it that its impact on consumers is “very” or “rather negative”.

In other words, one might assume that some people wouldn’t like cannabis until they try it for themselves or see the plant’s miraculous healing powers firsthand with their own eyes.

“This survey data shows that personal experience with cannabis is a relatively surefire cure for ‘reefer madness,'” said Paul Armentano, associate director of NORML. “As more adults become familiar with marijuana, either for therapeutic purposes or for their own personal use, expect many of the more sensational but flimsy claims that once dominated the cannabis narrative to belong in the dustbin of history.”

While about half of Americans have tried weed – 48% – only 16% say they currently smoke it.

America’s General View

Americans are split down the middle on pot’s effect on society, with 49% seeing it as positive and 50% as negative. Slightly more support for marijuana’s effects on users was found, with 53% saying it was positive and 45% saying it was negative.

Armentano is ‘not particularly’ surprised American adults remain divided on cannabis.

“We’ve known for a while that there is a percentage of Americans who believe marijuana should be legalized and regulated,” Armentano told the High Times. “Because criminalization is a policy that has not worked and is associated with very high costs. And I think that’s reflected in the fact that Gallup notes that while an overwhelming majority of Americans think marijuana should be legal, America is pretty divided on whether marijuana use is per se beneficial or not Not. There’s a percentage of the public that doesn’t necessarily like cannabis, but hates banning cannabis even more.”

However, Americans seem to recognize the harms of alcohol and view cannabis much more positively than alcohol. A previous Gallup study published last month found that three out of four adults in America believe alcohol negatively affects society, and 71% said they believe alcohol is harmful to drinkers.

When Gallup began polling Americans about cannabis in 1969, only 4% said they thought it should be legal. Over the decades, this number has slowly but steadily increased to reflect rapidly changing attitudes in the country. According to Gallup’s most recent poll, 68% of American adults close to the record high think pot should be legal.

Witness the benefits of cannabis

Second best to first hand experience is the power of social media and how it is showing the world that cannabis does less harm than alcohol and most importantly that it can heal.

These types of videos could help convert cannabis reform opponents or the undecided.

An example of this would be viral videos on social media showing the healing powers of THC or CBD. Facebook user Pete Starostecki was a multi-state cannabis refugee and posted a real-time viral video of CBD oil stopping seizures with his son. For example, professional British boxer Anthony Fowler posted a video of a dog having a seizure and how quickly CBD oil stopped the dog shaking.

Cannabis’ continued influence in the media is helping to normalize hard-working, functional Americans who are choosing to use cannabis responsibly, as evidenced by the rising numbers in successive Gallup polls.