- Take Action: Urge Congress to End Federal Cannabis Prohibition
Polls Show Overwhelming Support for Legalizing Cannabis
The public is far ahead of most elected officials on cannabis policy reform. A strong majority of Americans support making cannabis legal and nearly 90% support allowing medical cannabis. The polling firm Civiqs found majority or plurality support in every state for cannabis legalization. Yet, only 24 U.S. states have legalized marijuana, and 10 states still lack a comprehensive medical cannabis law.
- National polls, including by Pew Research Center, Gallup, YouGov, and CNN, show that most Americans support legalization. In October 2025, Gallup found that 64% of Americans support “making marijuana use legal” — more than double the level of support in 2000.
- Gallup’s 2025 poll also found that no age group opposed legalization, reporting 57% support among those 55 and older, 68% for those 35-54, and 72% support from those ages 18-34.
- In 2024, Pew Research Center reported only 11% of Americans think cannabis should not be legal at all.
- Since 2017, the public research firm Civiqs has surveyed more than 330,000 registered voters on legalization. As of December 2025, it found 66% support nationwide and majority or plurality support in every state, ranging from 47% in Wyoming (with 36% opposed) to 77% in Vermont and Oregon.
- Voters in states that have implemented legalization overwhelmingly view the laws as successful or as more of a success than a failure. April 2020 YouGov surveys found 56% to 69% of voters in eight legalization states — California, Colorado, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington — viewed their state’s legalization laws as mostly or entirely successful. In each state, no more than 20% of voters viewed the law as more of a failure than a success.
- In all 24 legalization states, Civiqs found support for legalization at 62% or higher. In almost every state, Civiqs polling indicates support has increased since voters approved legalization — in some cases dramatically.
|
State |
Initiative Year |
% Support on Ballot |
Support for Cannabis Use Being Legal, Civiqs, Dec. 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Alaska |
2014 |
53.23% |
69% |
|
Arizona |
2020 |
60.03% |
67% |
|
California |
2016 |
57.13% |
72% |
|
Colorado |
2012 |
55.32% |
71% |
|
Maine |
2016 |
50.26% |
70% |
|
Maryland |
2022 |
67.20% |
69% |
|
Massachusetts |
2016 |
53.66% |
76% |
|
Michigan |
2018 |
55.89% |
67% |
|
Missouri |
2022 |
53.10% |
62% |
|
Montana |
2020 |
56.90% |
64% |
|
Nevada |
2016 |
54.47% |
69% |
|
New Jersey |
2020 |
67.08% |
66% |
|
Ohio |
2023 |
57.19% |
63% |
|
Oregon |
2014 |
56.11% |
77% |
|
Washington |
2012 |
55.70% |
75% |
Pollsters have conducted surveys in states that have not yet legalized cannabis and found majority support in several states that have not yet legalized:
| State | Date/Polling Firm | % in Favor | Question Wording |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Florida |
Feb. 2025, University of North Florida |
67% |
Support “allowing adults in Florida aged 21 and older to legally possess small amounts of marijuana for personal use” |
|
Georgia |
2025, Atlanta Journal Constitution |
56% |
Support making marijuana legal for recreational use |
|
Hawaii |
Dec. 2023, Hawaiʻi Perspectives |
58% |
Support legalizing “recreational marijuana to allow possession, manufacture, and sale of marijuana by and to adults, under state licensing, regulation and taxation |
|
Indiana |
Nov. 2024, Causeway Solutions |
70% |
Support “legalizing in Indiana for adults over the age of 21?” |
|
Iowa |
April 2023, University of Iowa Hawkeye Poll |
59% |
“Should marijuana be legalized for medical, recreational, or not at all?” (% replying “medical and recreational use”) |
|
Kansas |
Fall 2025, Kansas Speaks Survey |
59% |
Support “legalization of recreational marijuana in general” |
|
Kentucky |
2019, Kentucky Health Issues Poll |
59% |
Favor “allowing residents to buy and use marijuana ... under any circumstances” |
|
Louisiana |
June 2023, Louisiana State University (LSU) |
70% |
Support “legally allowing people to possess small amounts of marijuana for recreational use” |
|
New Hampshire |
April 2025, UNH Granite State Poll |
70% |
Support "legalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana for personal use in New Hampshire" |
|
North Carolina |
2024, Carolina Forward |
63% |
In your view, what should be the legal status of marijuana in North Carolina? (% “legal for recreational and medical”) |
|
Pennsylvania |
Feb. 2025, Change Research poll |
68% |
Support cannabis legalization for adult use |
|
South Carolina |
April 2023, Winthrop Poll |
56% |
Favor "a law legalizing the recreational use of marijuana?" |
|
Tennessee |
Dec. 2024, Vanderbilt poll |
63% |
Think “marijuana should be legalized for recreational use” |
|
Texas |
Feb. 2025, University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairs |
62% |
Support legalizing the sale and use of marijuana for recreational purposes in Texas by those 21 and older |
|
Wisconsin |
June 2025, Marquette Law School poll |
67% |
Think “the use of marijuana should be made legal” |