60% of American Adults Believe Cannabis Has Positive Impact on Society

A new Pollfish poll found 60% of respondents believe that cannabis has a positive impact on society, while 61.5% said they felt cannabis plays an important role in supporting economic growth in the U.S., and 62.6% believe the cannabis industry “is important for the local economy,” according to a Forbes report.

Another 67.6% also supported the lifting of federal banking restrictions on cannabis companies.

In all, 43% of the 1,100 Americans 21-and-older polled lived in a state that has legalized cannabis for adult use, while 26% lived in a state with only medical cannabis access; 22% lived in a state where cannabis is fully outlawed.

Among cannabis consumers polled, 67% had purchased cannabis through legal channels, with 31% of those saying they consumed cannabis for medical use, 22% for stress, 16% for recreational purposes, 13% for sleep, and 10% for wellness. More than half – 55% – said they had tried cannabis for the first time in the last year, while 40% consumed cannabis one to two days per week.

Among the non-consumers, 33% had never consumed cannabis legally, with 21% saying they were not interested in using cannabis at all. Twenty-four percent of non-consumers said they would be interested in trying cannabis for medical reasons, 21% would try it to deal with stress, 15% would be interested in trying it for recreational purposes, 10% for wellness purposes, and 8% for sleep. The majority of non-consumers said they would be interested in trying an edible product first.

The poll was conducted on behalf of Jushi Holdings between March 17 and March 30 and was overseen by Julian Scaff, associate professor at ArtCenter College of Design, interaction designer, futurist, and Jushi experience director.