Most American adults recognize the fact that cannabis is far less dangerous than alcohol, heroin, or other drugs, according to a new poll.
Last month, Rasmussen Reports asked 1,000 American adults to share their opinions on how drugs are affecting the country today. A solid majority of respondents believe that drugs represent an important health issue, with 59% agreeing that drug misuse in the US has been getting “worse” in recent years. Only 9% of respondents said that drugs are less of a concern now than they were in the past.
But while most respondents agree that drug misuse is getting worse, most also agree that cannabis is not the problem. More than half of all respondents believe that cannabis is generally safe to use, with 29% agreeing that pot is “not at all dangerous” and 28% agreeing that it is “not very dangerous.” In contrast, 23% still think weed is “somewhat dangerous” and 12% said it is “very dangerous.” Sixty percent of Democrats don’t consider pot dangerous, but Republicans were more divided on the issue, with 48% believing that weed is dangerous and 45% saying the opposite.
These findings mirror several other recent polls showing that younger, more liberal Americans are more likely to be down with weed than their conservative peers. Other recent surveys have demonstrated that the average American is well aware that alcohol, tobacco, and e-cigs all pose far more serious health risks than cannabis does. And according to a poll from earlier this year, most Americans said that they would even vote for a politician that smokes weed.
Prohibitionists still argue that cannabis somehow transforms people into mentally ill criminals, but these new polls show that most Americans don’t put much stock in “reefer madness” myths these days. Part of this newfound acceptance surely comes from the fact that the spread of legalization has allowed more and more people to experience cannabis firsthand. And according to another recent Gallup poll, people who have never used pot are far more likely to believe popular anti-weed stereotypes.
Researchers have also debunked most of the most common cannabis stigmas and myths. Recent studies have confirmed that adult-use legalization does not increase underage pot use, boost crime, or lead to an increase in workplace or traffic accidents. Other studies have refuted claims that cannabis use increases the risk of depression, psychosis, or that pot causes brain damage. The stereotype of the lazy, fat stoner has also been shut down by researchers who have demonstrated that cannabis users are just as motivated as non-users, and are also more likely to exercise and lose weight.
The new Rasmussen poll does show that one popular anti-pot stigma is still kicking around, though. About half (46%) of respondents believe that cannabis use “leads to the use of more dangerous drugs,” while another 46% beleive the opposite is true. This “gateway drug” myth has persisted since the 1960s, but again, numerous research studies have demonstrated that these claims are not backed by science.
