{"id":195851,"date":"2024-12-20T09:29:18","date_gmt":"2024-12-20T14:29:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?post_type=fact-sheet&p=195851"},"modified":"2025-04-23T23:50:01","modified_gmt":"2025-04-24T03:50:01","slug":"topic-legalizing-marijuana","status":"publish","type":"fact-sheet","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/fact-sheet\/topic-legalizing-marijuana\/","title":{"rendered":"Topic: Legalizing marijuana"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Cannabis
Cannabis buds are shown to a customer at a dispensary in Desert Hot Springs, California, on Jan. 1, 2018 \u2013 the day recreational marijuana sales became legal in the state. (Robyn Beck\/AFP\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n
Legislative Semester Topic Briefs<\/a><\/div>
Affirmative Action in College Admissions<\/a>Freedom of the Press<\/a>Government Aid to Immigrants in the U.S. Illegally<\/a>Gun Ownership and Regulation<\/a>Legalizing Marijuana<\/a>Prayer in Schools<\/a>Why Public Opinion Matters and How To Measure It<\/a><\/div><\/i> Download PDF<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n

Background<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Under federal law, using or possessing marijuana is illegal in the United States. Even so, most states allow the use of marijuana for medical or recreational purposes, or both.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Public support for legalizing marijuana has increased over the last two decades. But the level of support differs depending on whether the public is thinking about medical<\/em> use of marijuana or recreational<\/em> use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Public opinion polling says \u2026<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Pew Research Center conducted a survey of U.S. adults in January 2024 to find out what Americans think about this issue. Here\u2019s what we found.<\/p>\n\n\n\n