A Pew Research Center survey conducted from January 20 to 26, 2026, found that 55% of U.S. adults support legalizing marijuana for both medical and recreational use. The survey, which included 8,512 adults, also found that 33% support legalization for medical use only, while 11% oppose any form of legal marijuana.
Support for full legalization varied by age and political affiliation. Among adults ages 18 to 29, 63% favored legalizing marijuana for both medical and recreational purposes, compared to 43% of those ages 65 and older. The survey showed that 67% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents supported full legalization, while 44% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents held the same view.
Racial and ethnic differences were also evident in the data. In the January 2026 survey, 61% of Black adults and 58% of White adults supported full legalization. Support was lower among Hispanic adults, at 45%, and among English-speaking Asian American adults, at 34%.
As of 2026, nearly half of U.S. states and the District of Columbia allow marijuana for both medical and recreational use, despite the drug remaining illegal under federal law. Colorado and Washington were the first states to legalize recreational marijuana in 2012. Views on marijuana legalization have remained relatively stable since 2019, according to Pew Research Center data.
Additional survey data from Pew in 2024 offered insight into perceived impacts of legalization. That year, 52% of U.S. adults said legalizing recreational marijuana was good for local economies, while 17% said it was bad. On criminal justice, 42% believed legalization made the system fairer, compared to 18% who said it made it less fair. Opinions were more divided on drug use: 27% said legalization decreased use of harder drugs like heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine, while 29% said it increased such use. On community safety, 21% said legalization made communities safer, while 34% said it made them less safe.
According to Gallup, support for marijuana legalization stood at 64% in 2025 and 70% in 2023, compared to just 31% in 2000. The 2024 Pew survey also found that Democrats and adults under 50 were more likely than Republicans and older adults to view marijuana legalization positively across economic, justice, safety, and public health dimensions.