Adults are turning against marijuana as the drug becomes more legal nationwide, a Gallup poll showed Tuesday.
The latest Gallup survey found that 54% of adults said cannabis negatively affects society as a whole and 51% said it hurts “most people who use it.”
These numbers have nearly flipped over the past two years. A 2022 Gallup poll found 49% of adults saw marijuana as positive for society and 53% said it benefited users.
Gallup research consultant Megan Brenan noted that the shift has come as pushes to legalize recreational marijuana have intensified at the state and federal levels.
“Marijuana is legal for recreational use in 24 states, and the U.S. Justice Department has recently begun the process to reclassify marijuana as a less-dangerous drug,” Ms. Brenan said in a summary of the findings.
She noted that most survey participants flagged cigarettes, chewing tobacco, vaping, cigars, pipes, nicotine pouches and alcohol as more dangerous than cannabis.
Nevertheless, Gallup found that just 13% of surveyed adults said they smoked marijuana this year, down from 16% to 17% in 2022 and 2023.
Most survey participants who have tried marijuana — adults ages 18 to 34, Democrats and those who rarely or never attend religious services — described cannabis in a positive light.
By contrast, most respondents who never tried marijuana — people 55 and older, Republicans and adults who attend religious services at least monthly — described marijuana as hurtful.
Gallup found self-described independents and people ages 35 to 54 about evenly divided in their views.
“All of the groups have become less likely since 2022 to say marijuana has a positive effect on users,” Ms. Brenan said.
Gallup conducted a randomized national telephone survey of 1,010 adults from July 1-21. The margin of error was plus or minus 4 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.
