Nearly 90% of Americans Support Legal Cannabis—So Why Are Lawmakers Still Fighting Voters?

Nearly nine in ten Americans believe cannabis should be legal for medical use, adult use, or both. Yet lawmakers across the country continue to undermine voter-approved reforms, impose harsh penalties, and make legal cannabis unnecessarily expensive.

That disconnect is the focus of a recent High Times article by NORML Deputy Director Paul Armentano.

The article delivers an important warning: winning public support is not enough. Cannabis consumers, patients, businesses, and advocates must continue holding elected officials accountable after Election Day.

Do 90% of Americans Really Support Marijuana Legalization?

The statistic requires a little context.

A 2024 Pew Research Center survey found that 88% of American adults believed marijuana should be legal in some form:

• 57% supported both medical and adult-use legalization.

• 32% supported medical marijuana only.

• Just 11% believed marijuana should remain completely illegal.

That is not quite the same as saying 90% of Americans support nationwide recreational marijuana legalization. But it does show that total prohibition has become an increasingly unpopular position.

A separate 2025 Gallup poll found that 64% of Americans supported making marijuana use legal. Although that was lower than the record 70% measured in 2023, it was still approximately twice the level of support recorded in 2000.

The public debate is no longer simply about whether cannabis should be legal. It is increasingly about what legalization should look like—and whether politicians will respect the voters who approve it.

Voters Approve Cannabis Reform. Politicians Keep Weakening It.

Armentano’s High Times commentary highlights a troubling national pattern: voters pass cannabis reforms, only to watch lawmakers attempt to repeal, restrict, or rewrite them.

In South Dakota, lawmakers came within one vote of repealing the state’s voter-approved medical cannabis program. Nebraska officials restricted important parts of the medical marijuana law approved by voters. Ohio lawmakers attempted to weaken protections included in the state’s adult-use initiative.

Texas officials have fought locally approved marijuana-decriminalization ordinances. Idaho lawmakers placed a proposed constitutional amendment before voters that would prevent future citizen initiatives from legalizing marijuana. Louisiana enacted new felony penalties for certain marijuana possession offenses.

These examples differ in their details, but the underlying problem is the same: elected officials should not treat election results as suggestions.

When voters approve cannabis reform, the government’s responsibility should be to implement that reform faithfully—not search for ways to neutralize it.

Florida Voters Know This Frustration

Florida experienced its own version of this democratic disconnect during the 2024 election.

A majority of Florida voters supported Amendment 3, which would have legalized marijuana possession and use by adults 21 and older. However, Florida requires constitutional amendments to receive at least 60% support.

The proposal earned roughly 56% of the vote—enough to demonstrate majority support, but not enough to become law.

In most elections, 56% is considered a decisive victory. In Florida, cannabis legalization still lost.

That result left adult marijuana possession illegal despite support from millions of Floridians. It also reinforced why cannabis advocates cannot afford to become complacent merely because public opinion is moving in their direction.

A majority can support reform while outdated laws remain in place.

Overregulation Can Undermine Legalization Too

Opposition to cannabis reform does not always take the form of prohibition.

In some legal states, elected officials have imposed taxes and regulatory costs that make it harder for licensed businesses to compete with the unregulated market.

Michigan, for example, added a 24% wholesale marijuana tax on top of its existing cannabis excise and general sales taxes. High Times reported that cannabis tax revenue subsequently declined while licensed businesses faced closures and consumers returned to unregulated sellers. Maryland and Minnesota also approved cannabis tax increases, while California lawmakers ultimately halted a planned increase.

A regulated cannabis market must generate enough revenue to fund oversight, education, testing, and public services. But there is a point at which excessive taxation defeats the purpose of legalization.

If licensed products become dramatically more expensive than unregulated alternatives, consumers will not necessarily stop purchasing cannabis. Many will simply purchase it outside the regulated system.

That means fewer product protections, less tax revenue and more pressure on legitimate businesses attempting to follow the rules.

Legalization should replace the unregulated market—not accidentally subsidize it.

Cannabis Policy Should Be Built Around People

Cannabis laws are sometimes discussed as if they affect only businesses or tax collections. In reality, they affect people’s lives.

They affect patients seeking medical relief.

They affect adults who can still face arrest, professional discipline or employment consequences for responsible cannabis use.

They affect parents, veterans, workers, entrepreneurs and families living with the consequences of decades of prohibition.

They also affect communities that have endured disproportionate enforcement while watching a legal cannabis industry grow around them.

Rescheduling or reclassifying cannabis can reduce certain federal restrictions, but it is not the same as legalization. It does not automatically end cannabis arrests, erase prior convictions, protect consumers, or resolve the conflict between federal and state law.

Meaningful reform must address the people who have been harmed—not only the classification of the plant.

Cannabis Reform Is Not a Red or Blue Issue

Politicians frequently frame cannabis as a partisan issue. Public opinion tells a more complicated story.

Pew found that support for some form of legalization extended across party lines, even though Democrats and Republicans differed significantly on adult-use legalization. The organization also found that 52% of Americans believed recreational legalization benefits local economies, while 42% believed it makes the criminal justice system fairer.

Cannabis consumers do not belong to one political party. Patients do not belong to one political party. Neither do veterans, medical professionals, small-business owners, civil-liberties advocates or people carrying old marijuana convictions.

Cannabis reform should therefore be judged by evidence, public health, individual liberty and fairness—not by which party receives credit for it.

Lawmakers in both parties should be praised when they advance sensible reform and challenged when they stand in its way.

Public Support Must Become Political Pressure

Polling numbers do not change laws by themselves.

Politicians respond to organized constituencies: people who contact their offices, attend public meetings, submit testimony, support advocacy organizations and vote with cannabis policy in mind.

That means cannabis supporters must ask candidates specific questions:

• Do you support legalizing and regulating cannabis for adults?

• Will you protect medical marijuana patients?

• Will you respect voter-approved cannabis initiatives?

• Do you support automatic expungement for past marijuana offenses?

• Will you oppose unreasonable taxes that strengthen the unregulated market?

• Will you protect employees and professionals from punishment for lawful, off-duty use?

A vague statement about “considering reform” is not a policy position. Voters deserve direct answers.

Florida’s Cannabis Majority Must Stay Engaged

Florida’s previous legalization campaign demonstrated that a majority exists. The next challenge is turning that majority into lasting policy.

That requires education, coalition-building and consistent pressure on elected officials—not only during major election years, but throughout the legislative process.

Suncoast NORML believes adults should not be treated like criminals for choosing cannabis. Patients deserve safe access. Voter decisions deserve respect. Cannabis policy should be based on evidence instead of fear.

The public has moved forward. It is time for the law to catch up.

Read Paul Armentano’s full commentary in High Times and stay connected with Suncoast NORML as we continue advocating for sensible cannabis laws throughout Tampa Bay and Florida.

Frequently Asked Questions

What percentage of Americans support marijuana legalization?

Pew Research Center found in 2024 that 88% of American adults supported legalizing marijuana for medical use, recreational use, or both. Fifty-seven percent supported both medical and recreational legalization.

Does 90% of the country support recreational marijuana?

No. The figure includes people who support medical marijuana only. Gallup separately found that 64% of adults supported making marijuana use legal in 2025.

Is recreational marijuana legal in Florida?

No. Florida permits qualified patients to obtain medical marijuana, but nonmedical adult use remains illegal.

Did most Floridians vote for marijuana legalization?

Yes. Amendment 3 received approximately 56% of the vote in 2024, but Florida constitutional amendments require at least 60% approval.

Why can excessive cannabis taxes be harmful?

Excessive taxes can make regulated products significantly more expensive, pushing consumers toward unregulated sellers and making it harder for licensed businesses to survive.

What can cannabis supporters do?

Supporters can contact lawmakers, attend public meetings, follow proposed legislation, register to vote, question political candidates and support advocacy organizations working on cannabis reform.