According to research, the majority of the American public wants to see the legalization of cannabis. The notable caveat is that many have been persuaded to change their minds from past views. “Pew researchers asked whether people had always held these attitudes toward legalization, or whether there was a time they had felt differently. The results are telling: roughly 40 percent of legalization supporters said they used to feel differently. By contrast, only 16 percent of opponents said the same.”

At the forefront of this change in mindset about marijuana is the unveiling of its medicinal benefits, the study further shows. As the conversation around marijuana becomes more accessible, it seems as though the public is also realizing that marijuana is no worse than other drugs (like alcohol or cigarettes). Additionally, the widespread knowledge that legalizing and normalizing marijuana could lead to vast economic benefits has played a large part in changing minds. Regardless of the reason why people have changed their minds, what remains is the poll result: more than half of the general American public wants marijuana to finally become legal.