CBS News/YouGov Poll: Most Americans Favor Marijuana Legalization

The majority of Americans think that recreational marijuana should be legal under federal law and in their own state, according to a new poll from CBS News and YouGov.

The survey, conducted around the same time that the House of Representatives voted to federally decriminalize marijuana, shows widespread support for the drug’s legalization for recreational use.

• 66% said recreational marijuana should be legal under federal law.
• 34% said recreational marijuana should not be legal under federal law.
• 66% said recreational marijuana should be legal in their state.
• 34% said recreational marijuana should not be legal in their state.

In states where recreational marijuana is now legal, 66% agree that its use should be legal. In states where recreational marijuana is not legal, 65% said that it should be legal.

The poll also found that less than one-third of respondents would oppose a marijuana business opening in their neighborhood, while most would either favor it or wouldn’t care.

• 30% oppose a marijuana business opening in their neighborhood.
• 34% favor a marijuana business opening in their neighborhood.
• 36% said it wouldn’t matter if a marijuana business opened in their neighborhood.

Of the respondents who said they favor a marijuana business opening in their area:

• 85% said they use marijuana regularly.
• 53% said they use it but not regularly.
• 16% said they never use marijuana.

Younger voters are more likely to support legalizing recreational marijuana compared to voters age 65 and above, though most older voters do favor legalization.

• 18-29: 68% support legalization, 32% oppose.
• 30-44: 73% support legalization, 27% oppose.
• 45-64: 67% support legalization, 33% oppose.
• 65+: 54% support legalization, 46% oppose.

Democrats are much more likely to support legalization when compared to Republicans, less than half of whom support making recreational marijuana legal on a federal level.

• Democrats: 79% support legalization, 21% oppose.
• Independents: 67% support legalization, 33% oppose.
• Republicans: 49% support legalization, 51% oppose.

CBS News and YouGov polled 1,612 adults across the U.S. from March 29-31, 2022 with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

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