As laws change, talking about marijuana use is largely becoming more common. Marijuana refers to the dried leaves, flowers, stems, and seeds from the Cannabis Sativa or Cannabis Indica plant. General marijuana use, both for recreational and medicinal purposes, has garnered increasing acceptance across the globe.

This was unlike over the past years, as marijuana was almost universally illegal. However, most countries are now legalizing it. Thus, the demand and use of marijuana in the world have rapidly increased over the past decade. The most common use for medical marijuana is for pain control. While for recreational uses, people smoke marijuana in hand-rolled cigarettes for fun mostly.

In line with this, Real Research conducted a survey on public opinion on the legalization of marijuana use. The majority of respondents were between 18 to 25 years of age, and it is the male gender that participated most. Nearly 40% strongly agree that marijuana puts the health and safety of the public at risk. Also, almost 50% of the respondents agree that marijuana should be used for medical issues.

Highlights

  • The majority of participants are between 18 to 25 years, making marijuana a popular topic among college students. Furthermore, 74.9% of the respondents are male.
  • 225,604 participants are from the Asian region, followed by 60,697 from Africa. Furthermore, 51.2% said marijuana is legal in their country.
  • Nearly 40% strongly agree that marijuana puts the health and safety of the public at risk.
  • 3% of the respondents said marijuana should be legal for medical use. Adding on, 41.9% said it should be legal for recreational use.
  • Lastly, the majority of participants noted that there should be an age limit for possession or purchase of marijuana.

The Majority of Participants are Between 18 to 25 Years

According to the RR survey, the majority of participants are between 18 to 25 years of age. Despite the fact that marijuana is mostly used by diverse age groups, it is common among the Gen Z population who are mostly college students. The prevalence of marijuana use or knowledge is mostly high in this age group. Furthermore, though the legal age to use marijuana differs per country, the survey has shown that adolescents and young adults have more interest in marijuana.

Respondents age group
Figure1:Respondents age group

Additionally, the survey results found that males responded in the majority on the survey. In [particular, they comprise 74.9% of the participants. The survey has revealed that marijuana is a topic that is most popular amongst the male gender. Moreover, it shows the wide gap between the female and male gender in marijuana usage. Despite this, 25.1% of females also responded to the survey.

Regions with Most Respondents

The majority of participants, which comprise 225,604 people, are from the Asian region. Most countries in Asia have been known for strict punishments for possessing, trafficking, and consuming marijuana. However, the times are changing, with some Asian countries such as South Korea and Thailand beginning to soften their views on medical marijuana.

Following after is Africa with 60,697 respondents. Since 2017 more than 5 countries in Africa have legalized marijuana. Moreover, many African countries have entered into the lucrative marijuana market-making marijuana legal and adjusting laws on marijuana in the continent. Other regions that also responded include Central America 46,253,  Europe 7,448, and the Middle East with 6,028 on the list.

51.2% reside in Countries That Legalized Marijuana

Notably, more than half of the respondents, 51.2% said marijuana is legal in their country, while 48.8 responded that it is not legal.

Figure 2: Marijuana is legal in most countries
Figure 2: Marijuana is legal in most countries

Marijuana was illegal in most countries for most of human history. However, in recent decades, a number of countries have implemented changes in the law regarding marijuana. Many countries have moved from stiff criminal penalties for marijuana use due to its importance for medical purposes. However, most countries do make large numbers of arrests for simple possession of marijuana.

48.8% of the respondents noted that marijuana is not legal in their countries. The legality of marijuana still remains a controversial subject in other countries. Some say that Marijuana is a gateway drug. This means most believe that it leads to abuse of other drugs. Such as heroin or cocaine. For this reason, other countries advocate that marijuana should be illegal. Hence, the laws on marijuana have not yet been shifted.

Impact of Marijuana on Health and Safety of the Public

Marijuana’s legalization, whether medically or for recreational purposes, has a massive impact on people’s lives. Nearly 40% strongly agree that marijuana puts the health and safety of the public at risk. Specifically, marijuana consumption can produce a number of undesirable effects that arise particularly when the concentration is high. Even for medical uses, the dosage should also be controlled as high usage may also cause some side effects

The use of marijuana can cause behavior change, speech pattern change, unusual actions, and even changes in physical balance. On the other hand, 34.2% somewhat agree that Marijuana has an impact on the health and safety of the public. After that is 15.8% that neither agree or disagree.

Marijuana on health and safety risk
Figure 3: Marijuana on health and safety risk

On the contrary, only 4.7% of the respondents strongly disagree that marijuana legalization puts the public’s health and safety at risk.

Should Marijuana be Legal for Medical Use?

Medical marijuana uses the marijuana plant or chemicals in it to treat diseases or conditions. For years researchers have been studying the conditions that can be treated by the use of marijuana.

Should marijuana use be made legal for medical use? 48.3% with 189,219 of the respondents said yes. This means that nearly half of the respondents are in favor of marijuana consumption in the medical field. The potential medicinal properties of marijuana and its components have been the subject of research and debate over the past years.

Researchers generally consider medications that use purified chemicals derived from the marijuana plant, to be effective. However, patients report many benefits of the medication, from relieving insomnia, anxiety, and pain to treating potentially life-threatening conditions.

On another note, 104,968 (26.8% ) said no. Various reasons have caused debates surrounding the use of marijuana for medical conditions. Notably, because little is known about the long-term impact of its use. Especially by people with health- and/or age-related vulnerabilities.

Is Marijuana Adictive?

Also, marijuana is supposedly just as addictive as other substances. 24.8% of the participants said that they do not know if marijuana should be used for medical purposes or not.

Legalization of Marijuana for medical uses
Figure 4: Legalization of Marijuana for medical uses

Adding on, 41.9% noted that marijuana should be legal for recreational use.

Marijuana and recreational use
Figure 5: Marijuana and recreational use

Recreational marijuana use involves using cannabis for personal enjoyment rather than for health purposes. Marijuana can be used in several forms. It is often smoked as a dry, shredded green and brown mix of flowers, stems, seeds, and leaves.

Users can become dependent on or addicted to marijuana, just as someone can with alcohol and tobacco. Although recreational use was not the main reason for making it legal, a large number of people use marijuana for recreational purposes.

26.8% say marijuana should not be used for recreational purposes. Meanwhile, 22.1% said they do not know.

Restrictions on Marijuana Usage

Lastly, what restrictions should be set for Marijuana usage? The majority of participants 128,146 noted that there should be an age limit for possession or purchase of marijuana.

Other answers include 115,919 votes on maximum possession and purchase amount. Followed by, 61,517 on limited retail location and 25,881 on resale by individuals not allowed. Finally, 16,896 on restrictions on where you can consume

Restrictions on Marijuana
Figure 6: Restrictions on Marijuana

In summary, despite years of marijuana being denied legalization, some countries have finally permitted its use. Whether it’s for medical purposes, recreational usage or to boost the economy there are still regulations that should be adhered to when using marijuana. However, people still have mixed reactions towards its usage. Therefore, always research the legality of marijuana before using it.

Methodology

Survey TitlePublic Opinion on Legalization of Marijuana
DurationJanuary 12, 2021 – January 17, 2021
Number of Participants391,450
DemographicsMales and females, aged 19 to 60+