Despite Patrick Kennedy’s intense battle against marijuana legalization, despite Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly flip-flopping his stance on cannabis, despite Donald Trump’s recently elected drug czar Tom Marino being a weed prohibitionist, despite marijuana still being classified as a Schedule I drug on level with heroin, this has not stopped from the public’s casual embrace of cannabis.
More than half of Americans—52 percent to be exact—have tried marijuana at some point in their lives, according to a new poll released Monday conducted by Yahoo News and Marist. And of those who have tried weed, 44 percent currently use it.
The stigma surrounding cannabis insinuates that using will lead to lazy, unmotivated adults. But according to the poll, of those who have tried marijuana, 65 percent were parents. Those who consider themselves active users, 54 percent of them were parents, and 30 percent are parents with children ages 18 or younger.
Out of all the parents surveyed (not just the ones who have smoked pot), marijuana wasn’t labeled the top concern for their kids.
Most Americans are not especially worried about marijuana use among the nation’s youth. They are just as concerned about children experimenting with cigarettes, alcohol, and sex. […] A majority of Americans, 52%, say they have tried marijuana at some point in their lives, and this experience makes a difference. People who have tried or use marijuana are more likely to worry children will smoke cigarettes. Marijuana tops the list of concerns for Americans who have never tried marijuana.
Thoughts on legalization were divided among participants. While 8 out of 10 supported medical marijuana becoming legalized, the people were split among recreational legalization, as 49 percent of Americans support legalizing recreational use while 47 percent oppose. A majority of the states offer medical marijuana while eight states and the District of Columbia allow for recreational usage.
[gravityform id=”13″ title=”false” description=”true”]
